Photo by Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports
By DAN KARELL
The U.S. Men’s National Team and U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team won’t be the only U.S. international sides in action during the upcoming March FIFA dates.
According to the Orlando Sentinel, the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team has lined up friendly matches at the end of this month against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Denmark. U.S. Soccer has not officially announced any friendly matches for the U-23s this year but the Denmark FA’s website has their U-21 team hosting the U.S. on March 31, in a yet to be determined venue.
As such, it’s expected that both friendly matches and a training camp will be taking place in Europe. U.S. Soccer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
In January, U.S. Soccer announced that former Austrian international and USMNT assistant coach Andi Herzog will be the team’s head coach. The USMNT is scheduled to face Denmark on March 25 and Switzerland on March 31.
It’s unclear how many players would be available to be called up for the U-23s. Some possible call-ups from the U-20 side, such as Cameron Carter-Vickers, Rubio Rubin, or Emerson Hyndman may be in the United Kingdom as the U.S. U-20s are set to face England U-20s on March 29. Rubin and Hyndman could also be with the USMNT instead.
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What do you think of this report? Do you like the U-23s setting up friendly matches ahead of qualifying? How do you see a possible U-23 team playing against European U-21 sides?
Share your thoughts below.
The rest CONCACAF already start preparations! the under 23’s USNT seem a bit behind!
Some these youth players already need to play with Senior USNT! Start capping Klinsmann!
While I like the idea of scheduling friendlies for the U-23 squad ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers it would have been nice to have a listing of potential participants instead of those who will more likely absent due to playing with the U-20 squad.
So who is likely to called in?
Yedlin, Trapp, Pelosi, Green, Packwood (if healthy),
Depends. If we see 4 starters pull hammies it’s a disaster. If they can stay healthy then the more minutes they can play as a unit, the better.
Julian Green should get called for these games. He can use the game time. Hopefully he doesn’t think this team is beneath him
more U20 U23 games the better!