SEATTLE, WASH. – Six Sounders FC players have been called-in to national team duty for a pair 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches, including today’s announcement that forward Jordan Morris has been named to Jurgen Klinsmann’s U.S. Men’s National Team squad for its last two Group Stage matches of CONCACAF qualifying. Midfielder Nicolás Lodeiro has been named to the Uruguayan National Team for CONMEBOL qualifiers against Argentina and Paraguay, while defenders Román Torres and Joevin Jones have been called-in to Panama and Trinidad and Tobago, respectively, as their squads vie for advancement to the final Hexagonal Round of CONCACAF qualifying. Additionally, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has called-in forwards Oalex Anderson and Myron Samuel for their final two fixtures in CONCACAF Group C action.
Morris and the USMNT play its final two matches of Group Stage play, with Klinsmann’s squad sitting second in Group C with seven points (2-1-1), three points behind Trinidad and Tobago. Morris is set to face Anderson and Samuel when the U.S. travels to Arnos Vale to take on St. Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday, September 2 (12:30 p.m. PT / beIN SPORT). The U.S. then hosts group leader Trinidad and Tobago to close out Group C action at EverBank Field in Jacksonville on Tuesday, September 6 (5:00 p.m. PT / FS1, UniMas). With Klinsmann’s squad controlling its own destiny, a pair of wins would guarantee a spot in the Hexagonal, while clinching a spot with a win Friday would also require a Guatemala loss to Trinidad and Tobago.
In CONACACF Group Stage qualifying for the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the top two teams in each of the three groups advance to the final Hexagonal Round. The top three teams from the Hex automatically advancing to World Cup, while the fourth-place side faces the fifth-place qualifier from the Asian Football Confederation for a spot in Russia.
Morris, a Sounders FC Homegrown Player signed in January, has nine career caps for the USMNT and scored against Mexico in a friendly win on April 15, 2015. The Mercer Island native and Stanford product is currently tied for the Seattle team-lead with eight goals so far in 2016.
Lodeiro joins Uruguay ahead of a road match against Argentina on Thursday, September 1 at 4:30 p.m. PT, before hosting Paraguay on September 6 in Montevideo at 4:00 p.m. PT. Uruguay leads 2018 FIFA World Cup CONMEBOL qualifying with 13 points (4-1-1), tied with Ecuador atop the table but with an advantage on goal differential. Loediro has 48 career international caps, including four appearances so far in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying. Since signing with Sounders FC on July 26, Lodeiro has two goals and four assists in five matches, leading Seattle to an unbeaten 3-0-2 record in those games.
Just six games into the 18-match final CONMEBOL qualifying round between 10 teams, the top four teams in the table advance automatically to the 2018 FIFA World Cup, while the fifth team plays in an inter-confederation playoff against the winner of the Oceania Football Conference for a spot to play in Russia.
Torres captains Panama as it faces off with Jamaica on Friday, September 2 at 6:30 p.m. PT at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City, with a win or draw securing advancement to the Hexagonal Round. On Tuesday, September 6, Los Canaleros travel to face Costa Rica at Estadio Nacional at 6:30 p.m. PT in San Jose. Panama is second in Group B with seven points (2-1-1), three points shy of Costa Rica, with the final match of the Group Stage potentially deciding the winner of the group. Torres, who was activated this week from the Disabled List after suffering a torn ACL on September 12 of last season, has 81 career caps for Panama.
Jones heads into international duty with Trinidad and Tobago ahead of a home match against Guatemala in Port of Spain next Friday at 4:00 p.m. PT that would secure a spot in the Hex with a win or draw. The Soca Warriors then face the U.S. National Team next Tuesday in the conclusion of the Group Stage. Trinidad and Tobago leads Group C with 10 points (3-0-1), three points ahead of the U.S. and four clear of Guatemala. Jones has 39 career caps and four international goals, including a pair of strikes in four matches in 2018 FIFA World Cup wualifying.
Anderson and Samuel join St. Vincent and the Grenadines as it plays its final two matches of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying play. After the Vincy Heat take on the U.S. at home in Arnos Vale next Friday, the travel to face Guatemala on Tuesday, September 2 in Guatemala City at 4:15 p.m. PT. Winless in four matches in Group C play, Vincy Heat have been eliminated from contention for a spot in the Hexagonal.
After a 1-1 midweek draw at Houston on Wednesday, Sounders FC (9-12-4, 31 points) head to Portland for a nationally televised Cascadia clash at Providence Park. Kickoff on Sunday is set for 2:00 p.m. PT with a national broadcast on ESPN, as well as local radio coverage on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM and El Rey 1360 AM. Just two points shy of Portland for the sixth and final postseason position in the Western Conference, Seattle is unbeaten in five matches (3-0-2) under Interim Head Coach Brian Schmetzer.
