And what a trip it will be.
The 21-year-old will make his debut with the Canadian national men’s soccer team at Wednesday’s FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Kingston.
Since Canada has already been eliminated from reaching the final CONCACAF qualifying round for the 2010 World Cup scheduled for South Africa, Canadian coach Dale Mitchell is using the game as an opportunity to watch a few of this country’s future stars up close and in person.
Although the most experienced player remains captain, and former Malton Soccer Club star, Paul Stalteri, who is making his 73rd appearance for Canada, Jackson, is being joined by a couple of fellow youngsters, David Edgar and Asmir Begovic.
Opening the door for Jackson, Edgar and Begovic were a combination of injuries to Iain Hume, Patrice Bernier, Julian de Guzman and Adrian Serioux and the unavailability of Michael Klukowski and Mississauga’s Tomasz Radzinski, due to suspensions.
A constant scoring threat, Jackson is currently playing professionally in England for the Gillingham Football Club, where he has seven goals in 12 appearances.
Meanwhile, Edgar and Begovic are members of the Newcastle United and Portsmouth FC clubs respectively.
The match will be played at the National Stadium at 8 p.m. ET.
While Canada has been eliminated from advancing, Jamaica still has an outside chance, depending on the outcome of the Mexico-Honduras game.
dwiner@mississauga.net
