Photo by ISIphotos.com
Peri Marosevic, Brek Shea and Jorge Flores are among the 20 players chosen for the U.S. Under-20 national team's roster for the upcoming CONCACAF Under-20 World Cup qualifying Tournament.
Nine professionals in all made the squad selected by head coach Thomas Rongen, including European-based prospects Jared Jeffrey, Kyle Davies and Bryan Arguez.
New Jersey natives Dilly Duka (Rutgers) and Billy Schuler (North Carolina) also made the squad, which will gather in Bradenton, Florida on Tuesday to begin preparations for the CONCACAF Qualifying Tournament in Tobago beginning March 2nd.
Here is the rest of the team:
GOALKEEPERS-Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn, Ga.), Josh Lambo (FC Dallas; Middleton, Wis.), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
DEFENDERS– Gale Agbossoumonde (Unattached; Syracuse, N.Y.), Kyle Davies (Southampton; Danville, Calif.), Jorge Flores (Chivas USA; Anaheim, Calif.), Aaron Maund* (Notre Dame; Dorchester, Mass.), Amobi Okugo (San Juan Lightning; Sacramento, Calif.), Anthony Wallace (FC Dallas; St. Petersburg, Fla.), Sheanon Williams (Unattached; Boston)
MIDFIELDERS– Bryan Arguez (Hertha Berlin; Miami), Danny Cruz (Houston Dynamo; Glendale, Ariz.), Dilly Duka (Rutgers; Montville, N.J.), Jared Jeffrey (Club Brugge; Richardson, Texas), Brian Ownby (Virginia; Glen Allen, Va.); Brek Shea (FC Dallas; College Station, Texas)
FORWARDS– Sam Garza (Denver; Highland Village, Texas), Peri Marosevic (FC Dallas; Rockford, Ill.), Billy Schuler (North Carolina; Allentown, N.J.), Tony Taylor (Jacksonville; Jacksonville, Fla.)
There is still a question mark surrounding Notre Dame defender Aaron Maund, who is still awaiting approval from FIFA to play for the United States after requesting a change of national association. Maund is a dual citizen of the United States and Trinidad & Tobago, which he played for in the 2007 Under-17 World Cup.
The U.S. team begins play on Friday, March 6 in Tobago against Jamaica. The Americans will then face the winner of the Honduras/St. Vincent & the Grenadines qualifier on March 8th before finishing group play against El Salvador on March 10.
What do you think of the squad? Any players whose inclusions surprised you? Are there any players missing who you thought would be sure bets to make it?
Share your thoughts on the roster in the comments section below.
This team has a 40 percent chance of not qualifying.
Worst team I have seen in sometime.
If it makes some of you obsessed with pro labels happy, let’s get them all to sign mls developmental deals and poof!! A team full of pros. Get off the pro high horse, just because some are pros doesn’t mean they are farther ahead than some of the college guys. Gerson mayen for example is on a dev. Contract and will be lucky to take part in training this year w chivas usa w no reserve league…..but oh yea he is better off than a college player.
Townsend suffered a hamstring injury towards the end of last camp which presumably took him out of consideration for the qualifying roster
Townsend suffered a hamstring injury towards the end of the last camp which presumably took him out of consideration for the qualifying roster
I remember watching those ussoccer.com episodes during the last u-20 cycle and 75% of the guys that were on the ‘bubble’ ended up starting at the u-20 world cup.
I came away with the impression that Rongen can’t make up his mind from one minute to the next, his thought process changes so fast that he doesn’t know what the hell he’s doing half the time.
ELAC of Course is an Anti-Latino crap but is Rogen who are we kidding remember what he did with Sebotic when he made that comment thats is why we are loosing players to other country. I guess we are going to loose some good Latino(Mexican American) especially to Mexico. Why are we bringing kids that are in the University when there’s still players playing in league in other country. In order to win the World Cup you need to start winning Big like U17, U18 n U20 world Cup. Like Argentina, Brazil, Germany, Italy or Holland. COME ON We need Coaches like Our Own LATINO Coach that can give some other type of Style and Flavor like our own Colombian U17 coach.
So, last cycle, after qualifying was over TR added a 3rd GK and made 3 changes to the rest of the roster.
For comparison, TR’s 2007 U-20 roster for Qualifying:
GK: C. Seitz
(B. Perk)
D: Q. Kirk, J. Valentin, N. Sturgis, T. Ward
(A. Igwe, O. Sarkodie)
M: A. Wallace, D. Szetela, F. Adu, S. Zizzo
(B. Arguez, T. Beltran, J. Villanueva)
F: R. Rogers, A. Akpan
(J. Smith, J. Altidore, P. Zimmerman)
Changes for the WCQ roster:
GK: add S. Sandbo
D: drop Q. Kirk
M: drop J. Villanueva; add M. Bradley, D. McCarty
F: drop J. Smith, add G. Ferrari
(Note, first TR dropped Zimmerman, but added him back at the last minute when Smith was injured)
http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_281592.html
http://www.ussoccer.com/articles/viewArticle.jsp_884739.html
As far as Duka is concerned, ive seen him play a couple of times and he is the real deal. Wouldn’t be surprised if hes starting in qualifiers. The kid is the real deal.
i mean cutting in from the right and plays on the left when mc fadden didn’t need a breather
i’ve never really seen Duka full out sprint bt he has good pace on the ball when running at defenders… he has fast feet n was good at playing himself out of tight positions
nice passer n crosser of the ball, he’s comfortable on either wing… scored a couple left footed goals this season cutting in from the left but plays on the right when mc fadden needed a breather
Any chance ESPNU will pick up these games?
Bryan Dominguez was injured a bit last year and had a average 1st season at UCSB… probably didn’t deserve the call until he gets his feet back under him.
Laughing at all the posts about the “two Italians”. While it is true that Nazzanni is Italian, Vinny Bernardo is from Jersey (born and raised).
Maybe its just easier to lump the two together.
Rumblings on other Boards about some type of “problem” at the last camp (in Spain)with these two (they were roomates because Nazzanni doesn’t speak English)BUT nothing to substantiate that. Just a rumor or urban myth at this point.
Eric Lichaj made the the UEFA cup squad for tommorows game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Garcia played in the Milk cup in the UK last year.
What the fruit?