Columbus Crew SC today announced that five of its players have earned senior National Team call-ups from their respective federations ahead of upcoming qualification matches for the 2018 FIFA World Cup: Harrison Afful (Ghana), Kevan George (Trinidad & Tobago), Cedrick Mabwati (DR Congo), Justin Meram (Iraq) and Tony Tchani (Cameroon). Following Crew SC's advancement to the Eastern Conference Championship on Sunday evening, the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs resume on Sunday, November 22 after a League-wide bye weekend for the FIFA international window.
Tchani has earned his first-ever international call-up but will miss Cameroon’s two qualification matches due to injury. Tchani is the fourth member of Crew SC to earn his first-ever, senior roster international call-up within the past 12 months under Sporting Director and Head Coach Gregg Berhalter, joining Justin Meram (Iraq), Kristinn Steindorsson (Iceland) and Wil Trapp (United States).
Afful and Mabwati are set to join their respective National Teams ahead of two-legged aggregate series as part of CAF Second Round qualification for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. Afful and Ghana are set to play against Comoros, with the first leg away in Mitsamiouli (November 13) and the second leg home in Kumasi (November 17).
Mabwati, meanwhile joins DR Congo for a series against Burundi, with the first leg away in Bujumbura (November 12) and the second leg home in Kinshasa (November 15). There are 20 separate two-legged series as part of CAF Second Round qualifying, with the 20 winners advancing to group play in the Third Round.
George joins Trinidad and Tobago ahead of the beginning of CONCACAF Fourth Round qualifying. The Soca Warriors play at Guatemala (November 13) before returning home to face the United States (November 17). Placed in Group C with three teams, also including Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the top two teams following a double round-robin format advance to the Fifth Round of CONCACAF qualifying, commonly known as the Hexagonal.
Meram, meanwhile, is slated to join Iraq for a Group F match as part of the Second Round of Asian Football Confederation qualifying. The Lions of Mesopotamia, currently placed second in the group, travel to face Chinese Taipei (November 17). Previously, Meram scored his first-ever international goal against Chinese Taipei (September 3) as part of group play. There are eight groups as part of Second Round AFC qualifying; the eight group winners and the four best group runners-up advance to the Third Round.
Afful, George, Mabwati, Meram and Tchani are among a contingent of players from Berhalter's squad to earn international call-ups in 2015, joining Sergio Campbell (Jamaica), Waylon Francis (Costa Rica), Kei Kamara (Sierra Leone), Kristinn Steindorsson (Iceland), Wil Trapp (United States, United States Under-23), Romain Gall (United States U-20) and Ben Swanson (United States U-18, U-20). Crew SC’s roster also features Chris Klute, Jack McInerney and Michael Parkhurst (all United States) as well as Emanuel Pogatetz (Austria) with senior National Team call-ups.
After the international window, Crew SC is set to host the First Leg of the Eastern Conference Championship against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday, November 22 at MAPFRE Stadium. The match kicks off at 5:00 p.m. ET and is set to be nationally televised on ESPN, as well as available locally on the radio on CD102.5 FM (English) and La Mega 103.1 (Spanish). Ticket information for the match is available at www.columbuscrewsc.com/playoffs.
