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U.S. Under-20 World Cup roster announced

Brian Perk (ISIphotos.com) 

                                                                                 Photo by ISIphotos.com

Midfielders Mikkel Diskerud and Dilly Duka and forwards Brek Shea and Tony Taylor headline the 21-man roster selected to represent the United States at the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt next month.

Here is the roster:

GOALKEEPERS– Sean Johnson, Josh Lambo, Brian Perk

DEFENDERS– Gale Agbossoumonde, Kyle Davies, Jorge Flores, Ike Opara, Anthony Wallace, Sheanon Williams

MIDFIELDERS-Daniel Cruz, Mikkel Diskerud, Dilly Duka, Jared Jeffrey, Aaron Maund, Brian Ownby, Dillon Powers, Michael Stephens

FORWARDS– Sam Garza, Peri Marosevic, Brek Shea, Tony Taylor

Among the players left out are Bryan Arguez, Guiseppe Nazzani, Fuad Ibrahim and Vincenzo Bernardo.

The FIFA Under-20 World Cup kicks off in Egypt on Sept. 25, with the United States playing in a group that includes Germany (Sept. 26, ESPN Classic at 9:55am), Cameroon (Sept. 29, ESPN2 at 12:30pm) and South Korea (Oct. 2, ESPN2 at 12:40pm).

What do you think of the squad? Think this group can earn a Top Three Finish? Excited to see the next generation of young Americans?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Come on guys, this is a very good team. I guess you haven’t been following the u-20 journey. In 2007 wc the differece was that Adu was a produce name with no really base for it. Others were working harder that him at the time and still in the air, call that fair, Altidore was not even that big of a name when he went to the 2007 world cup,and I am glad to see that Rongen is giving a group of players like Dilly Duka, Omby, Garza and Tony Taylor a chance to show their talent and not just pick up players because the media put their name out there for economical reason. This time aroun I think RONGEN made a choice base on talent , not name. Before you talk , look at the result this team have given, starting with qualifying , Egypt were Taylor made his mark by what the score showed and Argentina were Flores did his thing and with the help of a very talented group of guys. So Im glad that we are looking in many other direccion. God knows that with the senior group we used to see the only 11 for a long time so is good to see other faces like Davies etc.

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  2. if i hear another word about “ADU should be on this roster” im gonna shoot myself.
    this tourny is for new young players to get introduced to international competion and get their names out there.
    adu has had his time…

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  3. @rory

    I’m pretty sure that after playing with the t team in a couple of friendlies against Egypt that he said he was going to stick with the US. It seems pretty unlikely to me that he would go to the WC with the USA then suddenly play with the norway full nats.

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  4. AUSTIN….your an idiot. Mayen and Bernardo should without a doubt be off this roster. Neither one of them should take a spot from the 21 players going. Ya you can argue he has the most assist on Chivas that’s also because he has had about 5 double assists where other people do all the work. I am not even going to argue your Bernardo comment because it is so ignorant and wrong. Bottom line is…your wrong.

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  5. SO… you guys don’t like opara cause he’s in college? But he would have easily been the number 1 pick in MLS? Sounds to me like there are more haters out there then fans. I love how bernardo should automatically be on the team cause he’s in europe! that thinking is the most ignorant of all. And to the douche bag that talked sbout the token Mexican spot on the full squad last time I checked Paco was an American, so there aren’t any mexican spots on our team!Wouldn’t you rather have edgar earn his spot then just have it given to him because of the old if “he’s good enough for them he’s way better then our players” thinking, you sir are an idiot!!

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  6. If Mixie plays well this summer we have to hurry and cap him for the full scale team, he said that he will play for Norway or the US, whoever calls him up first. One more loss and Norway will be out of the WCQ so they can burn a spot on him. He played for Norway as recently as a year ago (youth tourny?). We need to lock him up.

    By the Way, Stabaek crashed out of Europe already (lost to Villareal in Europa, forgot who knocked them out of the CL qualifiers).

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  7. Austin –

    how many cycles does adu need?? this would have made 5 right? :-/ sorry, but he should focus on his professional career and the USYN need to move on

    Have you seen Bernardo play or are you simply going off his hype? While i have not written him off and hope i cash in on the chips i bet on him, he saw very limited PT last season with the Primavera and cannot score a loan this season. Napoli will most likely not extend his contract unless he impresses. While i have hopes for him, i dont blame Rongen for skipping him. Just b/c Bernardo’s agent is a PR GOD only means he’s good at getting his name out. Most articles have few quotes, most of which are used repetitively over and over. the fact remains napoli stated they probably wouldnt extend his contract if he cannot score a loan this season. i would expect him to be fully traded next season to a serie b team

    Arguez seems to have burned his bridges with the U20’s simply due to his disciplinary issues.

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  8. Shea is a gifted athlete but not sure as far as a proffesional goes that he will fit one position. He was a forward/midfieler. However, Schellas Hyndmun has played him in every position but GK. Tere was an article by Steve Hunt http://fc.dallas.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20090826&content_id=6632368&vkey=news_fcd&fext=.jsp&team=t104 that said he is struggling adjusting to FCD system so that maybe some of what you see in MLS. My thought is that he will be very successful at the U20 WC and find a place with hopefully a European coach that will bring out his best.

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  9. Bernardo has proved more than sam garza……idont even know who that is

    i know like 12 players from this roster and the four i listed above should replace the ones that havent impressed/unknown in a bigger league

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  10. This will probally be our strongest Defense ever at this level. The Mid-feild is a step behind 2007……………….but Foward Pool outside of Shea, is obviously nowhere near the 2007 Versions of Adu and Altidore…………….so we might be looking at another Quater-Final run.

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  11. This is odd. Rongen made a statement that His players must be pro/ or at least should. and yet he takes tones of College players.

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  12. BERNARDO IS NOT GOOD ENOUGH! Some people keep making such stupid comments about the kid. He has not proved a thing since being at Napoli and has not proved a thing at the international level. He has had numerous call ups to prove something and has not taken his chances. Thats why he’s not on the roster!

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  13. Good solid group of guys…based on past performances and call ups I am betting the lineup will look something like this.

    ———–Perk—————-

    Williams—Davies—Opara—Maund

    Cruz—-Jeffrey—Diskerud—Shea

    ————–Duka———-

    ————Marosevic————-

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  14. Gale Agbossoumonde is pronounced: Ga-lay Ag-boss-ah-mahn-day. I think it’s a very cool sounding name. But I’d go for the nickname ‘The Boss’ or something like that. He’s huge and plays CB — seems fitting.

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  15. i can’t believe there isn’t more talk about Mix Diskerud. He sees time with a team playing in the chamions/europa league. his switch from norway to the US will seriously pay off…i’m already thinking of the senior call up

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  16. can’t adu doctor up his birth certificate again so he can keep dominating younger age groups? I figure he can keep playing u-20 well into his 30s. The slow little guy really looks fast and strong against youngsters.

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  17. If I remember correctly Shea is supposed to be a left mid, left winger naturally. I remember Ives talking about him during coverage of the MLS Combine and said that he was a good left footed player. He played that position and forward at the Toulon tournament last year. Peri Merosevic, is very good. If you go to the us soccer homepage and look at the U-20 results he has scored a large majority of the goals for the team. It’s a shame that he doesn’t get more playing time for FC Dallas.

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  18. Sam garza will surprise a lot of people in this tourney. I’ve been playing against for several years and the guy is blazing fast but still has an incredible touch. He can play both forward and cm so hopefully we get to see him at both.

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  19. I think this is the most watered down U-20 team in the the past 3 cycles. I think putting Adu on the team is a win-win. Adu gets much needed PT, with people his own age. The team gets a player that should at least get them out of the group.

    I’m not saying let’s bring Altidore, he is getting PT.(Even though I would loved to see that)

    But Adu is not, and I don’t think he will this whole season. Not with Kerrison at Benfica.

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  20. Is Gerson Mayen injured? That’s the most horrid admission for me, considering how poor the wing players are on the roster.

    Not surprised. U-20 level has always been about drinking the Kool-Aid. Players who weren’t in the system as U-17s have a much harder time making the roster.

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  21. What I find interesting is that Rongen has managed to keep his big mouth shut over disciplining players and I AM TALKING About the Nazzani/Arguez/Bernardo incident in Florida earlier this year.

    AND I am still a bigger fan of the U17s than this unit. You have Jerome, McInerney (trialed in Holland), Gyau (Hoffenheim), Gil (Arsenal), Renken (Hoffenheim), Martinez, Shaquille Phillips, Jared Watts and Earl Edwards (GK) plus the midfielder with the French name.

    Much more upside for this crew than the older boys.

    Go get’em guys.

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