PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers midfielder David Guzmán and defenders Bill Tuiloma and Vytas and have been called up by their respective national teams, it was announced today.
All three players will not miss any league games with the Timbers, with each player set to rejoin the squad ahead of the club’s next match, a home game against D.C. United at Providence Park on Oct. 15.
Guzmán and Vytas will join Costa Rica and Lithuania, respectively, for a pair of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches, while Tuiloma is set to join New Zealand for an international friendly.
Guzman, 27, will join Costa Rica for a pair of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Honduras and Panama. On Friday, Oct. 6, Costa Rica will play host to Honduras at Estadio Nacional de Costa Rica in San Jose, Costa Rica at 7 p.m. (Pacific). Costa Rica then will travel to face Panama at Estadio Rommel Fernandez in Panama City, Panama on Tuesday, Oct. 10, beginning at 5 p.m. (Pacific).
Playing in Group F, Vytas, 26, and Lithuania will play consecutive matches against Malta and England in 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches. Lithuania will face Malta on the road on Thursday, Oct. 5, with the match set to take place at Ta’Qali Stadium in Ta’Qali, Malta, beginning at 11:45 a.m. (Pacific). Three days later, Lithuania will return home to play host to England at LFF Stadium in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Sunday, Oct. 8, beginning at 9 a.m. (Pacific).
Tuiloma, 22, will join New Zealand for an international friendly against Japan at Toyota Stadium in Toyota, Japan, on Friday, Oct. 6. New Zealand’s friendly against Japan is set to begin at 3:20 a.m. (Pacific).
Since making his senior team debut in 2010, Guzmán has earned 40 caps on the international stage, representing Costa Rica at the 2011 Copa America, the CONCACAF Gold Cup (2011, 2015, 2017) and 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. During the 2017 MLS season, Guzmán has made 23 appearances (22 starts) for the Timbers, recording one goal and six assists.
Vytas has earned 25 camps for Lithuania since making his international debut in 2011. Vytas most recently appeared for Lithuania in back-to-back 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Malta and Slovakia in November 2016. In his first full season with the Timbers, Vytas has made 21 appearances (17 starts) in 2017, recording three assists.
Since earning his first senior team cap in 2013, Tuiloma has made 19 appearances for New Zealand, most recently playing in three straight games in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup against Russia, Mexico and Portugal.
