Justin Smith called into first senior CANMNT camp

Canada will have a new face in camp ahead of Saturday's friendly against Peru in Montreal.

Head coach Jesse Marsch announced following Saturday's 1-0 win over Chile at BMO Field that defensive midfielder Justin Smith will join the senior squad this week for his first senior camp.

"I'm announcing right now that we're bringing in Justin Smith," Marsch told reporters after the win. "He'll be coming in this week, so we'll have one more defender in the squad, and then it'll also be a new face for us (which'll) be good."

Canada Soccer confirmed the call-up on Monday.

Smith, 23, was born in Paris to Canadian parents and represented Canada six times at the U20 level, captaining the side at the 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship. He came through the Paris Saint-Germain academy before moving to OGC Nice, then Spain, where RCD Espanyol loaned him to Sporting Gijon last season for 34 appearances.

He signed a three-year contract with CD Eldense this summer and has played every minute of the Segunda División club's six matches so far, scoring his first goal for the club on Sept. 19 against Eibar.

Smith gives Marsch another defensive option with Derek Cornelius sidelined by a hip injury, and continues the coach's trend of sprinkling new faces into the squad this window.

Canada faces Peru on Saturday at Stade Saputo in Montreal (12:00 p.m. MT / 2:00 p.m. ET) before travelling to St. Paul, Minn., to meet the United States on Tuesday at Allianz Field.