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Salgado, Gil highlight U.S. U-18 roster for Milk Cup

Salgado (ISIphotos)

Photo by John Dorton/ISIphotos.com

Vancouver Whitecaps forward Omar Salgado and Real Salt Lake attacker Luis Gil are among the 18 players chosen to represent the United States Under-18 national team in the Milk Cup later this month in Northern Ireland.

Chicago Fire midfielder Victor Pineda and Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jon Kempin will also represent the United States, along with internationally based goalkeeper Cody Cropper, defender Juan Pablo Ocegueda, midfielder Will Packwood and forward Jerome Kiesewetter.

The United States will play Israel on July 25 and Mexico on July 27 in addition to a final match. The United States has won the Milk Cup twice, capturing the title last year and in 2005.

Here is the U.S. U-18 roster for the tournament:

U.S. MILK CUP ROSTER

GOALKEEPERS – Cody Cropper (Ipswich Town), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City).

DEFENDERS – Michael Ambrose (FC Dallas Academy), Bryan Gallego (New York Red Bulls Academy), Jordan McCrary (University of North Carolina), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (UANL Tigres), Boyd Okwuonu (FC Dallas Academy), Jalen Robinson (D.C. United Academy), Javan Torre (Pateadores), Walker Zimmerman (Furman University).

MIDFIELDERS – Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Will Packwood (Birmingham City), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire), Marcus Salandy-Defour (D.C. United Academy), Alex Shinsky (University of Maryland).

FORWARDS – Jerome Kiesewetter (Hertha Berlin), Luis Rendon (FC Richmond Magic), Omar Salgado (Vancouver Whitecaps). 

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What do you think of the U.S. roster? Who are you looking forward to seeing perform? Think the USA will capture the Milk Cup again?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Good to see so many Academy players even if their not from my team! The academys are the key to improving the USMNT and the MLS. Not we just need the MLS to figure out a way to pay these younger Americans so they don’t leave to Europe at 17 and end up like the long list of Spoiled US talent not being used in Europe

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  2. Excellent point! I love that so many youth players are developing in the now legit MLS. the MLS has come a really long way and is doing a great job of developing, along with entertaining!

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  3. Nice to see a lot of MLS pros and academy players. Europe is where the $ is at, but MLS has come a long way and I have enjoyed watching our domestic product grow.

    Miss those white/thin red stripe jersey-blue shorts-white sock unis too

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  4. Yeah, it’s not respected. That’s why Man U, Chelsea, Tottenham, and Everton have all sent their academy teams to play in it.

    Good pint. Not respected. Absent scouts. Good call.

    Yes, Ben is a moron.

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  5. A joke doesn’t have to be pointless. In fact, jokes often have “points,” but that doesn’t mean this is a respected tournament. As for your European scouts, I think they will largely be absent from this punchline.

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  6. Would’ve preferred to see Gil and Salgado continue to earn time with their MLS teams and do well (as Gil has been the past few matches…and Salgado to a lesser extent).

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  7. The Milk Cup is not a meaningless tournament. This is a chance to showcase some of our young talent. The tapes from these matches will be watched in clubs across the globe. A few of these players could get opportunities they never would have had because of a few good performances in this tournament.

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  8. Yeah, what a joke getting to travel halfway across the world to play some other international teams, gain experience playing on European soil, and maybe get some exposure to European scouts. But your right, it’s totally pointless.

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  9. The club is alright, the develop kids pretty well, the team isn’t an Academy team, but they are pretty strong. Richmond area has Richmond Kickers Academy, Fc Richmond, Richmond Strikers, and United FC, a lot of strong clubs.

    Luis is one of the fastest kids I’ve seen with and without the ball, has a lot of natural talent. Everyone whos seen him play has said he’ll be a star. He’s kind of in the mold of Agudelo, faster but not as strong and not as good in the air. Like Agudelo, he was born in Colombia but moved to the US at a young age. He’s got the potential to be worldclass.

    He just recently is showing up on the international stage though, first junior to ever win gatorade national player of the year so he’s getting recognized. I’m hoping he signs generation adidas and doesn’t waste to many years in college.

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