MLS Philadelphia Union

Five Philadelphia Union Players Receive International Call Ups

Published on June 15, 2023 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Philadelphia Union News Release


CHESTER, Pa. - Philadelphia Union announced today that five players have received international call-ups from their respective federations ahead of the upcoming FIFA international window. Andre Blake, Olivier Mbaizo, Daniel Gazdag, Jose Martinez, and Richard Odada have joined their respective countries' teams for their FIFA international matches.

Blake joins the Jamaican National Team as they prepare for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup. Blake, who captains the squad, has 64 caps as the starting goalkeeper for the team. Jamaica will play friendlies against Qatar (Jun 15, 12:00 p.m.) and Jordan (Jun. 19, 8:00 a.m.) before playing the United States (Jun. 24, 9:30 p.m.) and Trinidad and Tobago (Jun. 28, 7:30 p.m.) in the Concacaf Gold Cup.

Mbaizo joins the Cameroon National Team for an international friendly match. He was most recently called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar where his side finished third in the group with four points. Mbaizo has earned 12 appearances with the national team, making his debut coming off the bench in a friendly against Gabon on September 6, 2016. Cameroon played an international friendly against Mexico at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California on June 10, where Mbaizo started and played 55 minutes at right back.

Gazdag returns to the Hungarian National Team for the next round of EURO 2024 Qualification Round matches. Gazdag has earned 19 caps, and most recently joined the squad in March for an international friendly against Estonia and a EURO 2024 Qualification Group Stage match against Bulgaria. In his 19 appearances, Gazdag has scored four goals in World Cup qualifying matches against Andorra (Mar. 31, 2021), San Marino (Nov. 12, 2021), Poland (Nov. 15, 2021), and England (Jun. 14, 2022). Hungary will play two UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifier matches against Montenegro (Jun. 17, 12:00 p.m.) and Lithuania (Jun. 20, 2:45 p.m.).

Martinez joins the Venezuelan National Team for a pair of international friendly matches. Martinez, who has a total of 22 caps for La Vinotinto, registered his first assist for the national team in a 1-1 draw against Ecuador on June 20, 2021. Martinez was most recently called up in March 2023 in a friendly against Uzbekistan where he logged another assist, to total his third with the national team. Venezuela will play friendlies against Honduras (Jun. 15, 8:00 p.m.) and Guatemala (Jun. 18, 4:30 p.m.)

Odada joins the Kenyan National Team for a pair of international friendly matches. Odada made his international debut on September 2, 2021, in a World Cup qualifier match against Uganda. With six appearances for the Harambee Stars, Odada scored his first goal in a 2-1 win over Rwanda on November 15, 2021. Kenya played an international friendly against Pakistan (Jun. 14, 7:00 a.m.) and will play their final friendly against Mauritius (Jun. 18, 7:30 a.m.).

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