CARACAS.- The selector of Venezuelathe Argentine Fernando ‘Bocha’ Batista, will try new faces in the friendlies on March 21 and 24 against Italy and Guatemala in the United States.
Along with regular figures such as Salomón Rondón or Tomás Rincón, returnees such as striker Jhonder Cádiz appear in the call released this Friday by the local federation, with a good presence in Portugal with Famalicao (9 goals this season), and young promises such as Kervin Andrade, 18, midfielder for Brazilian team Fortaleza.
Batista also called players who performed well with the U-23 in the last South American Olympic Qualifiers: defenders Carlos Vivas and Renné Rivas, midfielders Bryant Ortega, Telasco Segovia and Matías Lacava and attacker Jovanny Bolívar.
The friendlies are Vinotinto’s test bed for the Copa América, from June 20 to July 14, and the 2026 World Cup qualifier, which will resume in September.
Venezuela call:
Goalkeepers: Rafael Romo (Universidad Católica, Ecuador), Alain Baroja (Always Ready, Bolivia), Joel Graterol (América de Cali, Colombia) and José Contreras (Águilas Doradas, Colombia).
Defenders: Alexander González (Emelec, Ecuador), Jon Aramburu (Real Sociedad, Spain), Miguel Navarro (Talleres, Argentina), Yordan Osorio (Parma, Italy), Nahuel Ferraresi (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Wilker Ángel (Criciúma, Brazil) ), Christian Makoun (Anorthosis Famagusta, Cyprus), Teo Quintero (Deinze, Belgium), Carlos Vivas (Deportivo Táchira) and Renné Rivas (Caracas FC).
Midfielders: José Martínez and Jesús Bueno (Philadelphia Union, USA), Tomás Rincón and Rómulo Otero (Santos, Brazil), Cristian Cásseres Jr (Toulouse, France), Daniel Pereira (Austin FC, USA), Bryant Ortega (Caracas FC), Edson Castillo (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa), Telasco Segovia (Casa Pía, Portugal), Darwin Machís (Cádiz, Spain), Matías Lacava (Vizela, Portugal), Jefferson Savarino (Botafogo, Brazil), Jhon Murillo (Atlas, Mexico) and Kervin Andrade (Fortaleza, Brazil).
Forwards: Jovanny Bolívar (Huesca, Spain), Salomón Rondón (Pachuca, Mexico), Jhonder Cádiz (Famalicao, Portugal), Sergio Córdova (Sochi, Russia) and Jan Hurtado (Liga de Quito, Ecuador).
FOUNTAIN: AFP
