Walker Zimmerman, Alistair Johnston, More Called Up For World Cup Qualifiers

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Walker Zimmerman. Photo: Courtesy of MLS

Nashville Soccer Club defender Walker Zimmerman along with Aníbal Godoy (Panama), Randall Leal (Costa Rica), and Alistair Johnston (Canada) have been called up by their respective international teams to play in the upcoming World Cup Qualifying matches.

Zimmerman was recently called in for the previous round of World Cup Qualifying matches, and is coming off a 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup call up. The reigning MLS Defender of the Year started all three matches in the opening round while captaining the National Team for the final two matches.

The July 16 Gold Cup match against Martinique was the first time Zimmerman had worn the captain’s band for the USMNT in his career while leading the U.S. to a 6-1 victory. Zimmerman enters this slate of qualifying matches with 17 international caps for the United States.

Johnston has been at the heart of the Canadian squad this year earning his first international call-up in January, now accumulating 13 caps in this calendar year alone. He’s appeared in 13 matches for the Canadian National Team, which owns a record of 9W-2L-2D with a goal differential of + 31 and six clean sheets. Johnston played every minute for Canada in the 2021 Concacaf Gold Cup, leading the squad to the Semi-final round against Mexico.

Godoy earned his 105th international cap in June when Panama faced Mexico in an international friendly at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. In his last nine appearances with Panama, they have amassed a 5W-1L-3D record. Overall, Godoy has earned 108 caps.

Leal has earned 20 caps with the Costa Rican National Team since making his debut on Sept. 7, 2018. Most recently, Leal appeared in the Concacaf Nations League Finals, where he squared off against Mexico and Honduras in June before facing his Nashville SC teammate Zimmerman and the USMNT in an international friendly.

The U.S. opens the three-match set at home on Thursday, Oct. 7 against Jamaica in Austin. Three days later, the USA travels to face Panama at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City, and then closes out the window with its first visit to Lower.com Field in Columbus to take on Costa Rica on Oct. 13.

Steven Boero
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