Philadelphia Union players to represent national teams over upcoming FIFA international window
CHESTER, Pa. – Philadelphia Union today announced that six players have received international call-ups from their respective federations ahead of the upcoming FIFA international window. Andre Blake, Alvas Powell, Jamiro Monteiro, Olivier Mbaizo, Daniel Gazdag and Jose Martinez have joined their respective countries’ teams for 2022 World Cup Qualifier matches.
Blake and Powell were called up once again to the Jamaican National Team. The duo was last called up in September for the first three games of their final round of the World Cup Qualifiers. Blake, who captains the squad, has 51 caps as the starting goalkeeper for the team. In his most recent World Cup Qualifier match, Blake recorded six saves in a 1-1 against Costa Rica. Powell, a stalwart on the Jamaican National Team, has 55 caps and featured in all three of Jamaica’s most recent qualifier matches. Jamaica will face USA (Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.), Canada (Oct. 10. 6:00 p.m.) and Honduras (Oct. 13, 8:05 p.m.).
Monteiro and Mbaizo join the Cape Verde National Team and Cameroon National Team respectively as they continue the second round of the FIFA World Cup African Qualifiers. Both players last played for their national sides in September for the first matches of the second round.
Monteiro has earned 12 caps for Cape Verde, two in World Cup qualifiers as well as nine in Africa Cup of Nations qualification matches and one in an International Friendly. Cape Verde will face Liberia away (Oct. 9, 11:00 a.m.) and then return home to face Liberia once again (Oct. 12, 11:00 a.m.).
This is Mbaizo’s fifth senior team call up for Cameroon as they also prepare for a pair of World Cup Qualifiers. He has earned four senior international caps for the Indomitable Lions, his first when he made his debut as a substitute in a friendly vs. Gabon on September 6, 2016. Cameroon will play against Mozambique at home (Oct. 9, 11:00 a.m.) then face them once again away (Oct. 12, 11:00 a.m.).
Gazdag will join the Hungarian National Team for their pair of matches in the group stage of the European qualifiers. Gazdag has earned nine caps and was most recently called up in September ahead of Euro 2020. In his six appearances, Gazdag has scored one goal in a World Cup qualifying match against Andorra on March 31, 2021. Hungary will play against Albania (Oct. 9, 2:45 p.m.) and England (Oct. 12, 2:45 p.m.).
Martinez returns to the Venezuelan National Team after a standout three-game run with the team in September for the World Cup Qualifiers. Martinez, who has a total of eight caps for La Vinotinto, played in all three matches for Venezuela in the tournament. He also notched his first assist for the national team in a 1-1 draw against Ecuador on June 20. Martinez who made his debut for the team in a World Cup qualifier match on June 3, 2021, against Bolivia, will join them again for their matches vs. Brazil (Oct. 7, 7:30 p.m.), Ecuador (Oct. 10, 4:30 p.m.) and Chile (Oct. 14, 8:00 p.m.).
