Canadian defender Attakora plays 45 minutes in Union Berlin’s 3-0 loss to Cadiz CF

Nana Attakora’s trial with FC Union Berlin didn’t get off to a great start. In his first appearance in game action with the Bundesliga 2. side, the Canadian defender played the full second half Tuesday in a 3-0 loss to Spanish third-division side Cadiz CF. Attakora came in at half time with the German side already trailing 2-0, and slid into the back four. It was Berlin’s first match since the players came back from winter break, and the team is holding a mini-camp in Spain to get ready for the second half of the season. Currently, Union Berlin sits in seventh place in the Bundesliga 2. table, 11 points behind leaders Fortuna Dusseldorf and nine points behind the second-place side, SpVgg Greuther Furth, which features Canadian striker Olivier Occean. After a promising start to his career — where it looked like he’d become a staple on the Toronto FC backline for years to come — Attakora was traded by the Reds to San Jose in the 2011 season. He struggled to regain the form that made him one of the best defensive prospects in MLS, and was left unprotected in the Expansion Draft. But, despite his homegrown status, the Montreal Impact passed on Attakora. The Canadian national team called up Attakora as an injury replacement for former TFC teammate Matt Stinson for its most recent two World Cup qualifiers. Attakora just joined FC Union Berlin to begin his trial. RELATED: Interesting Canadian options for Impact in MLS expansion draft (CLICK) Hart ponders “subtle” defensive shuffle for key World Cup qualifier (CLICK)