Newly-re-signed Melbourne Victory midfielder Carlos Hernandez is back off to Costa Rica after being selected to play in two upcoming World Cup qualifiers against the USA and Trinidad and Tobago.
Hernandez, who recently agreed to a three-year extension to stay in the Hyundai A-League, has been named in the Ticos squads to play against USA in San Jose on Wednesday June 3 and Trinidad and Tobago in Bacolet three days later.
Costa Rica is in line to make its third World Cup and currently sits second in the CONCACAF group with the top three gaining automatic qualification for South Africa and the fourth team to go into a play-off against the fifth-placed South American team.
Hernandez came on as a second-half substitute in Costa Rica’s most recent qualifier, a 1-0 win over El Salvador. The match against the USA will be crucial to the Ticos hopes of qualifying with the Americans currently on top of the group, one point ahead of Costa Rica.
Hernandez will miss Victory’s upcoming tour of China, where the reigning A-League champions will play Guangzhou and Tianjin on June 5 and 7 respectively.
“Carlos performed well in Costa Rica’s last World Cup qualifier against El Salvador and has been rewarded with selection for their upcoming matches against USA and Trinidad and Tobago,” Melbourne Victory Football Operations Manager Gary Cole said.
“Carlos will depart Melbourne this Friday and is expected to return on June 9, during which time Melbourne Victory will play against Guangzhou Pharmaceutical and Tianjin Teda in China.”
There is no place in Rodrigo Kenton’s squad for Victory’s other Costa Rican Jose Luis Lopez, who has struggled to earn a place in Melbourne’s side since arriving at the start of last season.
