Sporting Kansas City announced Thursday that Roger Espinoza (Honduras) and Peterson Joseph (Haiti) have been selected to their respective National Teams for the upcoming FIFA international match dates from Sept. 7-11.
Espinoza, 25, will join Honduras for a pair of FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Cuba. Honduras, currently No. 65 in the latest FIFA rankings, are third in Group C with one point and four games remaining in the round.
Espinoza will miss the nation’s match on Sept. 7 at Estadio Panamericano in Havana, Cuba while serving a mandatory one-game suspension, but will be available for the rematch at Estadio Olimpico Metropolitano in San Pedro Sula, Honduras on Sept. 11.
"I get excited every time I get called up," Espinoza said. "In the past couple years it's been very good. Obviously I'm suspended for the first game but I'm glad the coach took me into his plans for the second game. I'm very excited and honored to represent Honduras in any competition, but especially this one."
Joseph, 22, was chosen to the Haitian National Team for three matches over a five-day span in the opening round of Caribbean Championship qualifying. Haiti, No. 80 in the FIFA rankings, will host Saint-Martin on Sept. 7, Bermuda on Sept. 9 and Puerto Rico on Sept. 11 in Group 1 play at Stade Sylvio Cator in Port-au-Prince. The top two teams will advance to the second round of qualifying.
Joseph last played for Haiti in October 2011 in FIFA World Cup qualifying after making his senior team debut in 2010.
"It's a good thing for me because I just came back from injury," Joseph said. "I want to play more and get more minutes. It's very important to me to join my national team and play for my country."
Both players will be available for Sporting Kansas City’s match against Toronto FC at 7:30 p.m. CT on Saturday at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The players will then return on September 12, two days prior to Sporting KC hosting the Houston Dynamo.
