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Minnesota United goalkeeper Dayne St Clair looks set to represent the Canada Men’s National Senior Team, rather than the Soca Warriors, for the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifying series.
St Clair was born in Pickering, Ontario but his father, Fabian St Clair, hails from Sangre Grande—so he could represent either nation. However, the 23-year-old US Major Soccer League (MLS) custodian looks to have decided on playing for his homeland. He was one of 32 players who joined a Canada national football team camp in Bradenton, Florida this week.
St Clair was also eligible to represent Trinidad and Tobago.
(Copyright Canada Soccer)
St Clair partnered ace Trinidad and Tobago attacker Kevin Molino in Minnesota’s Western Conference final finish this season but was never certain to join him on the international stage.
Although he was on the potential player pool of current Soca Warriors head coach Terry Fenwick and his predecessor, Dennis Lawrence, it is uncertain if either coach formally invited St Clair to join their respective squads.
Fenwick was appointed Trinidad and Tobago head coach in December 2019. But within a month’s time, St Clair was named in a provisional Canada Under-23 Team for the 2020 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Championship.
The Olympic competition were called off due to the Covid-19 pandemic but St Clair did not change allegiance.
At present, Canada are ranked seventh in Concacaf and 72nd in the global Fifa rankings. Trinidad and Tobago are 11th in Concacaf and 103rd in the world.
(Copyright Allan V Crane/CA-Images/Wired868)
Still, Fenwick is not short of goalkeeping talent with India-based veteran Marvin Phillip, Police FC captain Adrian Foncette, Norway-based Nicklas Frenderup and another Minnesota custodian, Greg Ranjitsingh.
It was an injury to Ranjitsingh that gave St Clair the chance to shine in the MLS Western Conference Play Offs last season.
Trinidad and Tobago start their Qatar World Cup qualifying campaign at home to Guyana on 25 March in Group F while Canada host Bermuda on the same day in Group B.
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