CHICAGO (Oct. 6, 2014) – U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called 21 players into camp in preparation for the upcoming friendly against Ecuador on Friday, Oct. 10, in East Hartford, Connecticut. Kickoff between the two countries, which both qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, is set for 7 p.m. ET, and will be broadcast live on ESPN, WatchESPN, UniMas and ESPN Deportes Radio.
After a 15-year international career in which he became the most accomplished player in team history, U.S. Men’s National Team forward Landon Donovan (@landondonovan) will make his final appearance for the United States when he plays against Ecuador. More than 30,000 tickets have been sold for the match.
Following the USA’s game in East Hartford, Klinsmann is expected to make several changes to the U.S. roster that will travel to Boca Raton, Florida, to face regional rival Honduras in the USA’s first match in Palm Beach County.
“We look at these two games as an opportunity to take a picture of the player pool as it stands now,” said Klinsmann. “Already the hierarchy starts to shift in some ways, which is normal at the beginning of a cycle. We are excited to look at this group against a very competitive team like Ecuador, and then we will have a chance to bring some different faces for the game against Honduras. Obviously, it’s going to be a special night on Friday as everyone in the U.S. Soccer family will have the chance to honor the amazing career of Landon Donovan.”
A total of 15 players return from the USA’s 1-0 win against Czech Republic on Sept. 3 in Prague, including 10 starters and game-winning goal scorer Alejandro Bedoya.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3):Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)
U.S. MNT ROSTER NOTES
- Set to earn his 157th cap for the United States, Landon Donovan will end his tenure with the MNT as the USA’s all-time leader in goals (57), assists (58), World Cup caps (12), and World Cup goals (5).
- Jozy Altidore captained the U.S. in the 1-0 win against Czech Republic. He had previously earned that honor once before, during the USA’s dramatic come-from-behind 3-2 victory against Panama on Oct. 15, 2013, to cap off the Hexagonal.
- Alejandro Bedoya played for Boston College before signing his first professional contract with Örebro in 2009.
- World Cup goalkeepers Brad Guzan and Nick Rimando are headed to East Hartford, each sporting impressive records in a National Team uniform. Guzan has recorded nine shutouts in 18 career starts, with six of those clean sheets earned in World Cup qualifiers. Rimando has never lost a game for the Senior National Team, posting a near-perfect 10-0-1 record.
- Timmy Chandler enters camp having started the season with a new Bundesliga club. Chandler moved from Nurnberg to his hometown club Eintracht Frankfurt.
- Mix Diskerud is one start shy of reaching double digits for the Senior National Team. With 21 caps and three goals, the U.S. team holds a remarkable 17-1-3 record when Diskerud steps onto the field.
- Joe Corona made the 30-man preliminary roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Corona and Michael Orozco made their first appearances of 2014 in Prague. Both players now have 12 international appearances under their belt.
- Tim Ream earned his eighth cap in that game, and made his first appearance since the USA’s 1-0 loss to Ecuador on Oct. 11, 2011.
- Ingolstadt midfielder Alfredo Morales has helped his side to the top of the table, appearing in all nine matches and scoring the opening goal of the campaign. Born in Germany to Peruvian parents, he has been deployed as a holding midfielder and also in defense.
- Joe Gyau made his Bundesliga debut for Dortmund when he entered as a sub in the 2-2 draw against Stuttgart on Sept. 24, and has since become a regular on the game-day roster. He spent three semesters in the U.S. U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida. His father Philip earned six caps with the U.S. MNT from 1989-91.
- Greg Garza made his senior MNT debut in the 1-0 win against Czech Republic. The Club Tijuana left back has now competed for the United States at every age level, beginning with the U-14 Boys’ National Team.
- Bill Hamid has backstopped D.C. United to a historic turnaround, the team becoming the first in the Eastern Conference to clinch an MLS playoff berth. A year ago, United finished the campaign with the worst record in the league.
- 1860 Munich striker Bobby Wood has played five matches to start the 2. Bundesliga season. The 21-year-old native of Hawaii and former Irvine Strikers forward made his Senior National Team debut in the 4-3 win against Bosnia-Herzegovina in 2013.
- Minnesota United FC forward Miguel Ibarra becomes the first player from the modern NASL to be called into the Senior National Team. The 24-year-old was voted the NASL Player of the Month for September.
- Several players from the 1-0 win against Czech Republic were called into duty for the U.S. U-23 MNT, which will hold a four-day camp in Brazil culminating in a match against the host U-23 team on Oct. 13 in Brasilia: Cody Cropper, Emerson Hyndman, Jordan Morris and Rubio Rubin.
