US Sets Roster for Qualifiers

Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago on Tap

August 29, 2008

CHICAGO — Sixteen of the players who earned the United States’ first World Cup qualifying victory in Guatemala make a return to coach Bob Bradley’s new 20-man roster for upcoming qualifiers against Cuba and Trindad & Tobago.

The Americans play Cuba on Sept. 6 in Havana and Trinidad & Tobago on Sept. 10 in Bridgeview, Ill. The team will begin gathering in Miami on Aug. 31 and assemble throughout the week before departing on Sept. 4 for Cuba.

“These next two games are very important to help us position ourselves to advance to the final stage,” said Bradley. “With the win against Guatemala, we have put ourselves in a good situation at the start of the semifinal round. I was very pleased with the way our team stuck together in a difficult environment. We need to have that same type of effort in the matches against Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago.”

Clint Dempsey

Former Rev Clint Dempsey is on the U.S. squad again.

Thirteen players on the roster ply their trade overseas, led by defender Carlos Bocanegra and goalkeeper Tim Howard. Bocanegra captained the U.S. side to the victory in Guatemala, the Rennes defender heading in the winning goal off a DaMarcus Beasley corner kick. Howard, who was named Sierra Mist Man of the Match in Guatemala, made an impressive seven saves in the win, good enough for his third clean sheet in four all-time World Cup qualifying appearances.

The U.S. holds a 5-1-1 record against Cuba, having met twice previously in World Cup qualifying action way back in 1949. The last meeting between the two sides came in the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage, with the U.S. prevailing in a 4-1 victory on the strength of a pair of goals by Landon Donovan and strikes by Clint Dempsey and DaMarcus Beasley. All three have been named to Bradley's roster for the upcoming game, and they are joined by defender Frankie Hejduk, who also featured in the 2005 match. The Columbus Crew captain is taking part in his fourth World Cup qualifying campaign.

Trinidad & Tobago, by comparison, is a much more familiar opponent for the United States. The U.S. holds an unbeaten 8-0-2 record against T&T in World Cup qualifying, the teams having squared off in the final round hexagonal in 2005. The most recent of the 17 total meetings between two countries came in the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage, with the U.S. winning 2-0 to improve to 13-1-3 all-time against the island nation.

Six players from the 2008 Olympic Games link up with the full team. Midfielder Sacha Kljestan scored two goals in China, while Maurice Edu, newly transferred to Glasgow Rangers of the Scottish Premier League, played all three games in the U.S. backline. Since the summer of 2007, Michael Bradley has appeared in four international tournaments at both the youth and full national team levels, and this year the Heerenveen midfielder leads the full team in minutes played. Goalkeeper Brad Guzan returns to fold having collected consecutive shutouts against Barbados in the second round series, and defender Marvell Wynne joins the team after first featuring for the U.S. against Argentina at the 2007 Copa America tournament in Venezuela. Michael Orozco, the only uncapped player on the roster, gets his first look in camp at the full international level.

U.S. Men's National Team Roster by Position

GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 4/3 SO)

DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 14/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 16/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 12/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 9/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 3/0), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC: 0/0)

MIDFIELDERS (6): DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 17/4), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen: 3/1), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 1/0), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 2/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 1/0), Eddie Lewis (Los Angeles Galaxy: 20/3)

FORWARDS (4): Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 8/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 22/8), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 9/2), Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City: 8/8)

*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals ?

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