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Ramos calls in 21 players for Dallas Cup

Tab Ramos

Photo by Michael Janosz/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

The U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team will compete in the Dallas Cup later this month and now we know which players will be available.

U.S. head coach Tab Ramos named a 21-player roster on Wednesday ahead of the tournament that runs from April 13-20 in Dallas, Texas. The squad includes New York Red Bulls centerback Matt Miazga, FC Dallas midfielder Kellyn Acosta and Philadelphia Union attacker Zach Pfeffer.

Sporting Kansas City defender Erik Palmer-Brown, Lynden Gooch of Sunderland and Rubio Rubin are other notable players summoned by Ramos for the 35th edition of the Dallas Cup.

The Americans are in Bracket C of the Gordon Jago Super Group and will play Under-19 teams from Germany’s Eintracht Frankfurt, Argentina’s River Plate and Mexico’s Tigres UANL.

The U.S. opens its campaign in the competition by facing River Plate on April 13. The Americans then play Eintracht Frankfurt less than 24 hours later before closing out Bracket C play with a match vs. Tigres on April 16.

Here is the full roster:

Goalkeepers (2) : Santiago Castano (NewYork Red Bulls; Union City, N.J.), Zack Steffen (Maryland; Downington, Pa.)

Defenders (9): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Michael Amick (UCLA; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Sullaiman Dainkeh (Maryland; Reston, Va.), Trevor Haberkorn (Furman; Roanoke, Texas), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Jesus Vazquez (UANL Tigres; San Luis Obispo, Calif.)

Midfielders (5): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Luis Felipe (Cruzeiro; Ouro Branco, Brazil), Romain Gall (FC Lorient; Herndon, Va.), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland; Santa Cruz, Calif.)

Forwards (5): Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake; San Diego, Calif.), Amando Moreno (Club Tijuana; Morganville, N.J.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Ben Spencer (Indy Eleven; Albuquerque, N.M.)

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What do you think of this roster? Surprised by anyone’s inclusion/omission? How do you see the Americans faring in the competition?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Is it me or does anyone else seem to notice that our YNT are playing in more of these tournaments with high quality competition. Yes, I know the Dallas Cup has been around for some time and we have represented. It just feels like I am reading more stories abou the U-XX team is playing in this tournament and the other U-XX team is playing in that tournament. Is this another part of the Klinsmann or US Soccer plan to expose the 17 – 21 year olds to more competition to see where they are technically , tactically, and most important of all mentally. A push to make the young elite US player more mentally prepared to play a full 90 minute international game when they hopefully make it to the senior USMNT. The Klinsmann talk about how US soccer players need to develop a tougher mentality.

    Reply
    • While some of this was barely coherent, you bring up an interesting point. I guess we’ll find out over the next 4 years if it’s working.

      Reply
  2. Perhaps too early to know but does anyone know if these games will be streaming online somewhere? US soccer website?

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      • I’m amused that the tournament I once attended as a club kid (treated as an unexcused school absence, I will note) has now reached the point of press release camp rosters and “are the games streamed” questions. I know it’s USYNT and Super Group but it’s still funny.

      • It was a big deal when my team participated in it… we got to play youth teams from some of the worlds biggest clubs… finally the sport is becoming what it should be.

      • The one thing that has not changed is the pro-Dallas snobbery outside Super Group. They’re still letting in a chunk of the Dallas Premier League in each age group.

      • Among those who throughout the years participated as youngsters:

        Bradley, Dempsey, Beasley, Donovan, McBride, John O’brian, Spector, David Beckham, Jermaine Defoe, P. Crouch, Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, Maicon, Raul, Rafa marquez, Maza Rodriguez…. Hakeem Olajuwon, and….Freddy Adu..

      • I got throttled there by a bunch of 1- and 2-touch youth academicians of a high profile pro club in this hemisphere. We took points in other games, but that was the most frustrating soccer game I ever played. I respect the quality I’m just amused to hear it being discussed in terms of callups and broadcasts.

        Kenny Cooper was recruited right out of the tournament.

      • Hakeem Olajuwon?
        Hakeem Olajuwon?
        Hakeem Olajuwon?

        Say what!?!?

        What position did he play and how tall was he at the time???

      • This, it was big in the early 90’s but the Friendship Cup in Minnesota was bigger at least it seemed like.

      • Been to both, USA Cup is much much bigger in terms of entry size — dozens of teams per age group, A, B, and C playoff brackets after group play — but I’d also say that generally speaking the field is inferior, maybe a few teams at the quarterfinal level and beyond were high quality and worthy of being in Dallas Cup.

        Minneapolis is pleasantly cool in the summer. You cannot understate how much it means to put a sweater on after a game when you’ve played summer games in 100 degree heat.

  3. Would like to see more of the Mexican based players like Paul Arriola and Fernando Arce Jr called in but maybe Tijuana didn’t want to release them.

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  4. You’ve got a ton of guys who can play multiple positions here, but I’m going to take a stab and say:

    Moore —– Miazga —– Palmer-Brown —– Allen
    ——– Gall ——– Gooch ——– Acosta ———
    ——–Rubin——- Pfeffer ——– Moreno ———

    That’s a lot of guys who are skilled with the ball at their feet and a lot of guys who can play in the midfield. I’d expect they will try to knock the ball around on the ground a lot and move the ball through the center of the pitch.

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    • You might be reaching a bit by assuming Palmer-Brown will be a starter off the bat.
      Don’t underestimate Dainkeh or Haberkorn or Ramos giving them a chance to show their abilities at CB before he gives Palmer-Brown a chance.

      Reply
  5. Surprised that Miagza was released. He actually played for RBNY on Saturday. He’s their No. 4 center back and one of the other three is carrying a knock.

    Reply

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