Michael Bradley (white jersey) was called up to a USA training camp of three matches to be played in June 2017. (Photo: CA-Images)
CHICAGO – United States head coach Bruce Arena extended Sunday invitations to 27 players for a training camp ahead of three matches in June, including World Cup qualifiers against Trinidad & Tobago (June 8, home) and Mexico (June 11, away).
The roster is highlighted by the inclusion of five players with more than 30 all-time appearances in World Cup Qualifying play: Clint Dempsey (38), Jozy Altidore (36), Tim Howard (35), DaMarcus Beasley and Michael Bradley (33 each).
"I think we have a good group," Arena said. "I'm still in the early goings with this team and I haven't seen all of our players, so this camp gives me the opportunity to see six new faces we haven't had in with the team yet, which is valuable. It's also great that we're able to bring back 21 players that have been in with our program already in 2017. We have a roster that has good balance all over, we have good young players and hopefully it's a team we can put together to get us points in both games."
Also meriting selection were 19-year-old midfielder Christian Pulisic, who played in 29 games for Borussia Dortmund in the recently-completed German Bundesliga season; defender DeAndre Yedlin, who was key to Newcastle United’s run to the 2016/17 English Championship title; and defender Omar Gonzalez, who helped Pachuca to the 2016/17 Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League crown.
The U.S., which will host Venezuela in an international friendly on June 3, currently sits fourth in the CONCACAF Hexagonal through four matchdays, trailing third-place Panama by one point and first-place Mexico by six.
ROSTER
GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC), Ethan Horvath (Club Brugge/Belgium), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS: DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/Germany), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/England), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt/Germany), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca/Mexico), Matt Hedges (FC Dallas), Tim Ream (Fulham/England), Jorge Villafaña (Santos/Mexico), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/England), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
MIDFIELDERS: Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana/Mexico),Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/Canada), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund/Germany)
FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/Canada), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/Germany)
