Canada’s Men’s U-23 Team will start their 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying campaign this Thursday at Sporting Park against the United States.
The top two countries at the tournament will qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio while the third-placed team will play a playoff match against Colombia for the final spot.
Toronto FC and Toronto FC II is well represented in the squad as Chris Mannella, Mo Babouli, Skylar Thomas, Jay Chapman, and Quillan Roberts were all selected to represent Canada.
Mark-Anthony Kaye was also selected by Head Coach Benito Floro but had to back out due to injury.
Both Mannella and Chapman have split time with Toronto FC and Toronto FC II this season.
Mannella appeared in 16 matches for TFC II and was part of the 18 in nine matches for TFC. The TFC II captain most recently represented Canada in the 2015 Pan Am Games.
Chapman has appeared in 10 matches for TFC and nine for TFC II this season.
Babouli, Thomas, and Roberts spent majority of this season with TFC II in the USL.
Babouli led the team with four goals and four assists in 20 matches and was named to USL Team of the Week on two occasions in the 2015 USL regular season.
Thomas, Toronto FC’s 11th overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, started in 20 matches, registering three goals and one assist and was named to USL Team of the Week on one occasion.
Roberts appeared in 15 matches for TFC II, compiling a record of 3-7-5 and four clean sheets, and most recently represented Canada at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Should Canada make it through to the Semi-Finals, they will be facing one of Costa Rica, Haiti, Honduras, or Mexico.
Group A Group B
Canada Costa Rica
USA Haiti
Panama Honduras
Cuba Mexico
Canada’s Olympic Qualifying Schedule
Group Stage:
October 1st @ 9:00 PM (Sporting Park): USA vs. Canada
October 3rd @ 2:30 PM (Sporting Park): Canada vs. Panama
October 6th @ 7:00 PM (Dick’s Sporting Good Park): Canada vs. Cuba
Semi-Finals:
October 10th @ 3:00 PM (Rio Tinto Stadium): TBD vs. TBD
October 10th @ 6:00 PM (Rio Tinto Stadium): TBD vs. TBD
Third Place Match:
October 13th @ 7:00 PM (Rio Tinto Stadium): TBD vs. TBD
Final:
October 13th @ 10:00 PM (Rio Tinto Stadium): TBD vs. TBD
