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Jesse Marsch isn’t the only member of the New York Red Bulls making trips to Europe this year as defenders Michael Amir Murillo and Fidel Escobar will be joining the Panama national team in World Cup friendlies against a pair of UEFA powerhouses.
On Tuesday, the Panama national team Twitter account FEPAFUT announced their 24-man squad for friendlies against Denmark (March 22nd) and Switzerland (March 27th) - both of whom will join Los Canaleros in the World Cup this summer - with Murillo and Escobar making the cut.
Repasa la lista de 24 convocados #PanamáMayor por Hernán Darío Gómez para partidos de preparación de cara a @fifaworldcup_es. #Rusia2018
— FEPAFUT (@fepafut) March 7, 2018
22/3 vs @DBUfodbold
27/3 vs @SFV_ASF#PanamáPaRusia #TodosSomosPanamá pic.twitter.com/XT02yBaAQh
The two games bookend a home game against Minnesota United, virtually guaranteeing that the two defenders will miss that game.
Murillo and Escobar have both been regulars for the Panama national team since the 2017 Gold Cup, and were both contributors to the team’s first-ever World Cup qualification this past Fall.
Murillo has established himself as the team’s permanent starter at RB, with his recent form even earning him interest from Dutch powerhouse PSV Eindhoven. Escobar, meanwhile, has primarily ridden the bench since the team acquired him on loan last Summer.