Canucks make their arrivals to Toronto

For more information on this match, please visit the following fixture link.

The first few players have arrived in Toronto this weekend in anticipation of Wednesday’s Canada-Jamaica match in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ Qualifers. The earliest group – Julian de Guzman, Ali Gerba, Tomasz Radzinski and Paul Stalteri – all trained briefly this Sunday at BMO Field with coach Dale Mitchell and the team staff.

Canada’s men’s national team faces Jamaica on Wednesday 20 August in its first of six CONCACAF Stage III matches. Group opponents Honduras and Mexico, meanwhile, face each other in Mexico City. The Canada-Jamaica match will be broadcast live on Sportsnet Pacific and Sportsnet West (19.30 ET / 17.30 MT / 16.30 PT) for viewers with all Sportsnet channels. Tickets to the match are available via ticketmaster.ca (416.872.5000).

A larger group of Canadian players arrives Sunday and will be available for Monday’s training at 10.30 at BMO Field. The last few players arrive Monday and will be in gear for Tuesday morning’s closed practice. Many of Canada’s players have arrived from as far as Europe where they play professionally for their club teams.

Expectations are high for Canada’s players, even in spite of the tough opponents with whom they have been drawn. Canada’s four-team group – from which only two teams advance – has sometimes been called the CONCACAF Group of Death. To support Canada’s national team, a sea of red supporters will fill BMO Field this Wednesday for Canada’s first of three home games in the CONCACAF Stage III match.

Canada’s next home games are 6 September in Montréal and 15 October in Edmonton. Canada’s three road matches are 10 September in Mexico, 11 October in Honduras, and 19 November in Jamaica.