Christian Dean, the Whitecaps’ 2014 MLS SuperDraft first round pick, has been called up by USA national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Dean is one of 28 players invited to the month-long camp, which starts on Monday in Carson, California, before moving on to Chile for an end-of-January friendly. After the Jan. 28th fixture, the Americans will return to Carson and prepare for a friendly against Panama on February 8th at the StubHub Center.
In an interview with USSoccer.com, Klinsmann indicated Dean and the other young players at the camp are there to get a taste of international play and to jump start preparations for the American U-23 squad that will play in Rio.
Dean turns 22 in March. He made four appearances for the Whitecaps in 2014. Along with Kendall Waston, Dean is the only centre back currently under contract; Whitecaps coach Carl Robinson acknowledged the team remains interested in re-signing both Johnny Leveron and Andy O’Brien but didn’t suggest anything was imminent.
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Canada defeated Haiti 3-1 in their opening match of the CONCACAF U20 Championship in Jamaica on Saturday.
Marco Bustos was man of the match, while his Whitecaps teammates Marco Carducci (goalie), Sam Adekugbe (left back) and Kianz Froese (midfield) joined him in the starting lineup. Former Whitecaps residency players Alex Comsia (right back) and Chris Serban (centre back) also started.
