By Vijay Setlur

TORONTO - Canada has added Venezuela, Honduras and Ukraine to its match calendar for the rest of the year, intensifying its preparation for the 2011 Gold Cup and 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The games, disclosed Friday by Canadian Soccer Association General Secretary Peter Montopoli, against Venezuela on May 29 in Merida, Honduras in Montreal on September 4 and at Ukraine on October 8 are in addition to the previously announced encounter against Argentina May 24 in Buenos Aires.

"Playing quality opposition is the only way to raise standards," Canada national team Stephen Hart said. "The games will allow staff the best possible opportunity to evaluate players. By the same token, it will allow players to test themselves."

The Honduras showdown will be a rematch of last year's 1-0 victory by the "Los Catrachos" in the Gold Cup quarterfinals in Philadelphia.

At a news conference at BMO Field, Montopoli also said Canada will play September 4 in Toronto against an as yet to-be-determined opponent.

Montopoli is hopeful the home matches will also raise the profile of the men's national team given Canadians' growing interest in soccer. To date, over 16,000 tickets for the 2010 World Cup have been sold in Canada making it the highest among non-participating members for the 2010 World Cup.

The general secretary indicated the Canadian team's attention likely will shift to the east for matches in the future, with the recently installation of grass at BMO Field in Toronto and
the conversion of Edmonton's Commonwealth Stadium to artificial turf.

"The no. 1 requirement is grass," Montopoli said. "If Edmonton is going to turf, then there's less likelihood of it hosting matches, although its FIFA two-star turf is a quality surface. Toronto and Montreal are the focus, but there could be more availability (to host matches) on the women's side."