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Here’s Mitchell Tierney’s preview to this Kamloops International Cup men’s match.

Some of British Columbia’s brightest young talents will take on Nottingham Forest’s U21 side as the Kamloops International Cup continues on Thursday at Hillside Stadium. An 18-player squad makes up the League1 BC Men Selects roster — chosen from players across League1 BC, who will try to defeat an English Premier League academy side in this competition for a second consecutive year.

Here’s everything you need to know before kickoff on Thursday night:

Match Details

League1 BC Men Selects vs. Nottingham Forest U21
Hillside Stadium, Kamloops, B.C.
6:30 p.m. PT

The Competition

This is the second edition of the Kamloops International Cup, a showcase hosted by Kamloops United Football Club, the City of Kamloops, and Tourism Kamloops that brings in top academy teams to face local B.C. sides.

The League1 BC Men Selects defeated Fulham’s U-21 side last year in this competition on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in regulation. They will look to add another victory on Thursday against Nottingham Forest.

This is the second League1 BC squad that will feature in the competition, after League1 BC Women Selects beat Arsenal FC Women U21 7-1 earlier this week.

The Squad

The 2025 edition of the League1 BC Men Selects features 18 players representing eight different clubs from within the league.

Following a combine, which was hosted on Tuesday and Wednesday in Burnaby to select the final squad, here is the side that will face Nottingham Forest on Thursday:

Marcus D’Andrea (Langley United), Matheus De Souza (Langley United), Axl De Vries (Langley United), Aiden Fong (Vancouver Whitecaps Academy), Amir Mahdi Ghasemi (Langley United), Michael Hennessy (TSS Rovers), Shahbod Jafary (Langley United), Wyatt Lyon (Kamloops United FC), Spencer Mellett (Evolution FC), Nico Mrsic (Burnaby United FC), Tristan Otuomagie (TSS Rovers), Logan Pierce (Kamloops United FC), Kian Hugh Proctor (TSS Rovers), Caden Ruby (Unity FC), Charlie Smith (Namaimo United FC), Issac Tate (Kamloops United FC), Francesco Triosi (Vancouver Whitecaps Academy), Kaleb Voth (Altitude FC)

The coaches leading the squad will be John Antoluv of Kamloops United FC, Mike Shearon of Unity FC and Brendan Teeling of TSS Rovers FC.

Three players to watch

Wyatt Lyon, 20, has impressed this season for Kamloops United FC in League1 BC — earning multiple inclusions in the league’s Team of the Week, as well as the Team of the Month for June. A defensive midfielder who loves to play progressively and styles himself after Toni Kroos, he plays for the UNBC Timberwolves at the collegiate level. As a member of Kamloops United FC, he will get the opportunity to play Thursday’s match at his home grounds at Hillside Stadium.

Michael Hennessy, 20, is a name Canadian soccer fans might recognize for his strong performances in the Canadian Championship in recent years with TSS Rovers. The creative attacker scored against Pacific FC in the 2024 edition, converting again in penalties in a match the League1 BC side narrowly lost. He has six goals this season for TSS Rovers in League1 BC action, winning the League’s Player of the Month for April, and spent this past year at Simon Fraser University, where he had a further six goals and three assists.

Caden Ruby, 19, is an exciting attacker for Unity FC. He has two goals this season in his first full year in League1 BC, having made a couple of appearances last season for the club. Ruby also had five goals and an assist for the University of Alberta Golden Bears. He is the brother of former Halifax Wanderers and Canadian youth international defender Jake Ruby – who came through the CPL – U SPORTS Draft.

The Opposition

Nottingham Forest Academy finished 15th this season in the Premier League 2, with a record of 8-3-9. Their senior team finished seventh in the English Premier League this season. Forest opened the Kamloops International Cup with a 2-1 victory over Canadian Premier League club Cavalry FC’s U-21 side.

What they said

“I’m excited, I’m looking forward to it. Lots of eyes will be on this game and I just have to perform.” – Michael Hennessy, TSS Rovers / League1 BC selects.

“We know Nottingham Forest is a prestigious club, and I’m just happy to get the opportunity.” – Caden Ruby, Unity FC / League1 BC selects.

“It’s amazing, especially hearing all the coaches and older people that I know that have been around football in BC for a while, they always say how it was so tough not having these opportunities growing up. I’m very grateful to have opportunities like this to play against teams from England and be able to test BC’s ability against some of the top academies in the world.” – Wyatt Lyon, Kamloops United FC / League 1 BC selects.

More information about the Kamloops International Cup and tickets to the event can be found at www.kamloopsinternationalcup.com.