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USL Charleston Battery

Sebastien Thuriere Called to Haitian National Duty

March 23, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Charleston Battery News Release


Sebastien Thuriere of the Charleston Battery
Sebastien Thuriere of the Charleston Battery
(Charleston Battery)

CHARLESTON - Battery midfielder Sebastien Thuriere, who made his club debut Saturday night, departed today for China to rejoin Haiti's national team for friendlies on March 27 and 31st.

Les Grenadiers will face the Chinese National Team on Friday, March 27, in Changsha - the capital of Hunan Province, with a metropolitan-area population of more than 7 million. Haiti is scheduled to play a second match on Tuesday, March 31st, against a yet-to-be-determined Asian opponent.

Thuriere will miss the Battery's March 27th match at Charlotte Independence, but is expected to return in time to participate in the April 4 home game with Harrisburg City Islanders.

The 25-year-old is the Florida-born son of a Haitian mother and a French father. He has been called to national duty with Haiti nine previous times. His most recent caps came as the team's regular starting defensive midfielder in November during the Caribbean Cup Finals in Jamaica. Haiti drew Antigua and Barbuda (captained by Battery right back Quinton Griffith), defeated Martinique, and lost to eventual champions Jamaica in the semi-final. It earned a third-place finish by defeating Cuba.

Thuriere played for the University of South Florida before beginning his professional career with VSI Tampa Bay of USL PRO in 2013. He joined Dayton Dutch Lions for the 2014 USL PRO season, and was recruited to Charleston for 2015 by Battery Coach and General Manager Mike Anhaeuser, who attended the Caribbean Cup.

"It is always nice to have players called up by their respective countries and displays the quality of players that we are able to attract," Anhaeuser said. "The hard part is that we have to adjust, as the players will usually miss a game or two, and you have to adjust as a team and club to fill in while they are gone. But it also allows other players a chance to play and dress in these call-up situations. The big thing is that the player gets an opportunity to play with his country, which is a great honor that many players might not ever get a chance."

Thuriere was originally scheduled to depart last week, but was granted a late arrival in order to play in Saturday's season-opener against Toronto FC II. He entered the match in stoppage time to help assure the Battery 3-2 win.

Though not a native-born Haitian, Thuriere speaks fluent French and loves the republic's culture, history and people. He has visited the island multiple times, and is proud of his Haitian heritage and knowledgeable about the country.

Haiti's national team played its first match in 1925, and won the CONCACAF title in 1973. It qualified for the World Cup in 1974, won the Caribbean Cup in 2007, and has a 3-4-7 record in CONCACAF Gold Cup. The team has qualified for the 2015 Gold Cup, which will be played in the United States and Canada in July.

Most of the players called to the Asian friendlies this month play professionally in Europe. Thuriere is the only player from USL called to the roster.

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Sebastien Thuriere of the Charleston Battery
Sebastien Thuriere of the Charleston Battery
   

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