Five Major League Soccer players have been called into the Venezuela camp ahead of upcoming international friendly matches against Basque Country and the United Arab Emirates, it was announced Tuesday.
Leading the selection for coach Rafael Dudamel is Atlanta United striker Josef Martinez, who has scored a record 30 goals this season. For Venezuela, Martinez has nine goals in 43 appearances.
Also returning for La Vinotinto are D.C. United midfielder Junior Moreno, who has started 14 of the 17 matches he’s appeared in during his inaugural MLS season, and LA Galaxy fullback Rolf Feltscher, who has scored once and added a pair of assists in 13 starts this season.
All three were in the Venezuela starting XI for a 2-1 loss to Colombia in Miami last month. Moreno also started in a 2-0 win over host Panama on Sept. 11.
Jefferson Savarino, who has six goals and 11 assists in his second season at Real Salt Lake, is seeking his fourth cap for Venezuela, while Houston Dynamo forward Ronaldo Peña, who starred for La Vinotinto in their run to the 2017 FIFA Under-20 World Cup final, could be in line for his first senior national team cap.
They are among eight new players called in from the group selected to face Colombia and Panama last month.
The team will meet in Spain on Oct. 8. Before facing Basque Country at Mendizorrotza Stadium on Oct. 12 and facing UAE in Barcelona four days later.
