U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach Richie Williams names 20-player roster for tournament in Argentina
U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team head coach Richie Williams has named a 20-player roster for the team’s upcoming trip to Argentina from Oct. 21-27 for the Four-Nations Tournament and a pair of international friendlies against Uruguay and Paraguay.
Sixteen of the 20 players on the roster participated in the AGS Cup in Spain from Sept. 29-Oct. 6, where the U.S. earned a 3-1-1 overall record and second place. Goalkeeper Jeff Caldwell, defender Shaquell Moore and forward Rubio Rubin – all of whom have been named to the current roster – earned All-Tournament honors at the AGS Cup.
New to the roster for the team’s trip to Argentina are defender Gonzalo Rolon, midfielder Guyllain Kabala and forwards Brian Pacheco and Bradford Jamieson. Jamieson last appeared for the U-17s in a pair of friendlies against U.S. Soccer Development Academy clubs St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri and Crew Soccer Academy in early September.
Rolon and Jamieson also were part of the team’s roster for the Copa Saprissa Internacional tournament from June 23-July 1 in Costa Rica, while Kabala’s last trip abroad with the team came in January at the Aegean Cup in Turkey.
The tournament in South America marks the first international trip for U-17 MNT forward Brian Pacheco.
All 20 players are part of the U-17 Residency Program’s 2012 Fall Semester in Bradenton, Fla.
Thirteen players are currently registered with U.S. Soccer Development Academy teams for the 2012-13 season, while all but two players on the roster were born in 1996. Only midfielders Mukwelle Akale and Ben Swanson were born in 1997.
The U.S. squares off against Uruguay in an international friendly on Sunday, Oct. 21, at 11 a.m. local time (10 a.m. ET) in Buenos Aires as a precursor to play in the Four-Nations Tournament.
The tournament kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 23, as the U.S. faces Chile at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. ET) in Santa Fe, Argentina. The USA’s final match of the brief, two-game tournament is scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 25, against either Panama or Argentina, depending on the results of the team’s previous match.
Bookending the trip is an international friendly against Paraguay on Saturday, Oct. 27, at 11 a.m. (10 a.m. ET) in Buenos Aires.
The U.S. U-17 MNT has won four of its last seven matches in all competitions and enters its South American trip unbeaten in back-to-back games.
U.S. Under-17 MNT Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jeff Caldwell (NC Fusion; Todd, N.C.), Paul Christensen (Seattle Sounders; Woodinville, Wash.)
DEFENDERS (6): Conor Donovan (NC Alliance; Fuquay Varina, N.C), Elijah Martin (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Jorge Miranda (LA Galaxy; Van Nuys, Calif.), Shaquell Moore (Cobb FC; Powder Springs, Ga.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Gonzalo Rolon (Central California Blues; Bakersfield, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Junior Flores (McLean Youth Soccer; Manassas Park, Va.), Guyllain Kabala (New England Revolution; Manchester, N.H.), Christopher Lema (New York Red Bulls; Ridgefield, N.J.), Rolando Muñoz (L.A. Galaxy; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Ben Swanson (Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio)
FORWARDS (6): Corey Baird (San Diego Surf; Escondido, Calif.), Bradford Jamieson (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), Brian Pacheco (Pateadores; Anaheim, Calif.), Rubio Rubin (Portland Timbers; Beaverton, Ore.), Wesley Wade (New York Red Bulls; South Orange, N.J.), Alan Winn (Solar Chelsea FC; Garland, Texas)
