Lance Laing Will Head To Copa America With Jamaican National Team

FC Edmonton announced Tuesday that midfielder Lance Laing has been named to the final Jamaican roster, which will see action in this year’s Copa América tournament that kicks off June 11 in Chile. This will be the second appearance with the senior national squad for Laing, who last competed for his home country in 2012. No official decision has been made on when Laing will depart for the tournament.

The 27-year-old midfielder has developed into a consistent threat on the attack for Edmonton since making the transition from the back line last season, recording four goals and six assists across NASL and Amway Canadian Championship play in 2015. Laing began his NASL career with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers in 2011, where he played for two seasons before signing with the Eddies in 2013.

“Through Lance’s terrific play with the Eddies he’s managed to get himself on the 23 for the one of the biggest competitions in the world,” FC Edmonton head coach Colin Miller said.

“We are very proud of him. Lance has been at the heart of our attacking play and deserves this enormous compliment that he has been given by the Jamaican Football Association. He goes with all of our best wishes, and I’m sure all of the Eddies fans will support him.”

Copa América is the oldest international soccer competition when it comes to men’s national teams, with the first edition taking place in 1916 in Buenos Aires. The winner of the tournament, or highest-finishing CONMEBOL team if CONCACAF guests Mexico or Jamaica win, will earn a berth in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup. 

Jamaica opens the tournament against Uruguay on June 13 at 12:00 p.m. ET at Estadio Regional Calvo y Bascuñán in Group B action. The team will also face Paraguay and Argentina in round-robin action leading up to the quarterfinal round that begins June 24. It’s the first time Jamaica has competed in the event.