Whitecaps FC Add Swiss Pair
August 17, 2010 - U.S. Soccer Federation D-2 (USSF D-2)
Vancouver Whitecaps News Release
VANCOUVER, BC - Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today the acquisition and signings of two Swiss Super League standouts in midfielder Davide Chiumiento and Canadian-born defender Alain Rochat - pending USSF D-2 Pro League approval. Per club policy, terms of the acquisitions and contracts were not disclosed.
Chiumiento, 25, is a free agent signing who played the last three seasons with FC Luzern. The 5-foot-8, 150-pound attacking midfielder had a breakout year last season with the Swiss club. In 28 appearances, the playmaker scored 11 goals and added five assists. During his three seasons with FC Luzern, Chiumiento appeared in 97 matches, scored 17 goals, and was credited with 16 assists.
Prior to his time with FC Luzern, the native of Heiden, Switzerland, was a member of Italian giants Juventus FC. At 19 years of age, the midfielder made his debut with the Serie A club during the 2003-04 season. He then spent the next three seasons on loan with former Serie A club AC Siena, French Ligue 1 side Le Mans FC, and Swiss Super League outfit Berner Sport Club (BSC) Young Boys.
Chiumiento, who is scheduled to arrive in Vancouver at the end of August, holds both Swiss and Italian citizenship and has appeared 11 times for Switzerland's U-21 squad. Last March, the midfielder earned his first senior cap for Switzerland in a friendly against Uruguay.
Rochat, 27, was acquired by Whitecaps FC from FC Zürich and has been immediately loaned back to the Swiss Super League club until the opening of the January 2011 international transfer window. The 6-foot, 170-pound central defender - who can also play as a left fullback - first joined FC Zürich on loan during the 2006-07 season from Stade Rennais FC of France's Ligue 1 before making his move permanent the following season. In four seasons with FC Zürich, Rochat has made 140 appearances, scored nine goals, and recorded 10 assists in 11,243 minutes of action. During this time, Rochat helped FC Zürich to Swiss Super League championship titles during the 2006-07 and 2008-09 campaigns. Last season, Rochat helped FC Zürich reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League, where they faced Spanish giants Real Madrid, Italian powerhouse AC Milan, and France's Olympique de Marseille in Group C.
Before his current spell with FC Zürich, Rochat joined Stade Rennais FC at the start of the 2005-06 French Ligue 1 season and appeared in 11 matches for the Brittany-based club. From 2001 to 2005, Rochat played four seasons with Switzerland's BSC Young Boys. Rochat started his professional career in 1999 with Yverdon Sport FC, who were then members of the Swiss Super League.
Born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec, Rochat appeared for Switzerland at the youth international level before making his senior international debut on June 4, 2005, as Switzerland claimed a 3-1 away victory over the Faroe Islands in Group Four of European qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany.
North American Soccer League (NASL) Conference leading Vancouver Whitecaps FC (9W-3L-11D) will battle USL Conference club FC Tampa Bay (6W-8L-8D) this Thursday, August 19, at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Thursday's match kicks off at 4:30 p.m. PT and can be seen live online at whitecapsfc.com/live.
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