Timbers' Palmer, Purdy called up for national team duty

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers today announced that midfielder/defender Lovel Palmer (Jamaica) and defender Steve Purdy (El Salvador) have been called up by their respective national teams, and will meet in international play in a friendly between Jamaica and El Salvador on Wednesday, Aug. 15, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. at 5 p.m. (Pacific).

The friendly continues preparations for both countries ahead of upcoming 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers in September. Palmer and Purdy will miss the Timbers’ league match against Toronto FC on Aug. 15 while on national team duty. Both players are scheduled to rejoin the club Aug. 16.

A native of Mandeville, Jamaica, Palmer, 27, was recently called up for World Cup qualifiers in June, starting in a 2-1 win over Guatemala on June 8 and in a scoreless draw against Antigua & Barbuda on June 12. The Reggae Boyz currently sit in a two-way tie with the United States at the top of CONCACAF’s Group A in World Cup qualifying. Jamaica and the United States meet Sept. 7 and Sept. 11. 

Palmer has 21 international caps to his credit and has been a member of the Jamaican National Team pool since 2005. He made his international debut for the Reggae Boyz at the age of 20, and helped Jamaica win the Caribbean Cup title in 2010.

Purdy, who has family ties to El Salvador, has eight caps with the El Salvador National Team. He has appeared in five 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers for El Salvador, including a recent 2-2 draw against Costa Rica on June 8 and a 2-1 loss to Mexico on June 12. El Salvador is in third place in CONCACAF’s Group B behind both Mexico and Costa Rica, and will face Guyana on Sept. 7 and Sept. 11. 

Purdy, 27, made his debut for La Selecta on June 19, 2011, in the quarterfinal of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. He was a key contributor to El Salvador’s advancement in 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying last fall and scored a goal in a 4-0 win over the Cayman Islands on Nov. 10, 2011. Purdy also played in a friendly against Estonia in February.