SEATTLE, WASH. - Sounders FC today announced that defender Román Torres and midfielder Marco Pappa have each been called into national team duty for Panama and Guatemala, respectively. Torres is representing Panama for a pair of international friendlies against Uruguay and Venezuela, while Pappa joins Guatemala for the Third Round of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying against Antigua and Barbuda.
Panama first hosts Uruguay on Friday, September 4 in Panama City, with kickoff set for 6:30 p.m. PT from Estadio Rommel Fernandez. Four days later, Los Canaleros travel to face Venezuela on Tuesday, September 8 at 3:00 p.m. PT in Puerto Ordaz.
Pappa joins Guatemala for the Third Round of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, where La Azul y Blanco take on Antigua and Barbuda in a two-leg aggregate series, with the winner advancing to the Group Stage. Antigua and Barbuda hosts the first leg on Friday, September 4 at 5:05 p.m. PT from Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in St. Johns, Barbuda. Guatemala hosts the second leg four days later at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City on Tuesday, September 8 at 7:06 p.m. PT. The winner of the Third Round matchup advances into Group C of CONCACAF 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying along with the United States, Trinidad and Tobago, as well as another team to be decided in the Third Round.
Torres, the current captain of the Panamanian National Team, has 79 career international caps and 12 goals. He most recently captained Panama to a third-place finish at the 2015 CONCACAF Gold Cup and scored in a 2-1 loss to Mexico in the Semifinal Round. Pappa has 50 caps and 10 goals for the Guatemalan National Team. He won the Golden Ball and Golden Boot at the 2014 Copa Centroamericana after scoring four goals in three games.
Following Sunday's home win over the Portland Timbers, Sounders FC (12-13-2, 38 points) kicks-off its September slate with a home match this Saturday, September 5 against Toronto FC (7:00 p.m. PT / JOEtv, Univision-Seattle, KIRO Radio 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM).
