US team announced for Gold Cup

U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named the 23-man roster that will seek to defend their CONCACAF Gold Cup title in the 2007 edition of the tournament that takes place from June 6-24 in six cities across the U.S.

The USA kicks off action on June 7 vs. Guatemala at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., at 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT, and will also play their second group match there on Saturday, June 9, vs. Trinidad & Tobago at 5 p.m. ET / 2 p.m. PT. The group stage will end for the U.S. on June 12 vs. El Salvador at 7 p.m. ET after a cross country trip to Foxborough, Mass. All three U.S. group matches will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Telefutura. Fans can also follow all the USA’s matches live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.

The European-based players will begin arriving into the Los Angeles area on May 27 to start training, with the MLS contingent reporting to the Gold Cup camp on June 3. 

“As I have said, winning the Gold Cup is our most important priority this year, and I believe we have assembled a team capable of doing that,” said Bradley.  “We have a very good blend of talent, youth and experience. This is a great opportunity to continue to secure our place as one of the top teams in the region, as well as obtain valuable experience as we progress towards World Cup qualifying in 2008.”

The U.S. returns eight players from the 2005 championship team, led by Golden Boot winner DaMarcus Beasley.  Kasey Keller, who is the all-time leader in Gold Cup appearances for the USA (21), can become the only player in U.S. history to appear in six of the regional championship tournaments.  Los Angeles Galaxy forward Landon Donovan, who already has five goals and one assist in 2007, is tied for second on the all-time U.S. Gold Cup scorers list with Brian McBride at eight goals. At the other end of the spectrum, a total of 14 players will be vying for their first-ever Gold Cup cap.

The roster is a near even split of players based in Europe and at home, with Bradley calling on the services of 12 players from overseas.  Oguchi Onyewu, who was named Man of the Match in the 2-0 win against Canada on July 9, 2005, in Seattle, scored his first career goal in second-half stoppage time to lift the U.S. to a 2-1 win past Honduras and into the 2005 final.  Fulham send the duo of Carlos Bocanegra and Clint Dempsey, with Bocanegra having started all five matches in the USA’s run to the 2002 Gold Cup crown.  Seven of the ‘Euro’s’ will have the chance to make their Gold Cup debuts, including goalkeeper Tim Howard, who has already amassed eight shutouts in 18 international appearances.  Michael Bradley, who is expected to be part of the team that represents the U.S. in the U-20 World Cup in Canada this summer, is part of the youth movement along with Benny Feilhaber and Jonathan Spector.

On the domestic front, the New England Revolution contributes the most players of any squad, sending three players to California.  Steve Ralston is the only member of the trio with Gold Cup experience, having played eight games over two tournaments and collecting a medal in ’05.  Current MLS leading scorer Taylor Twellman and Michael Parkhurst also head west from Boston.  The Houston Dynamo and Chivas USA both send a pair, Brian Ching the veteran of that quartet with 21 caps and four goals for the U.S.  Colorado Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni appears in his fourth Gold Cup, and is one of six players on the roster with two Gold Cup medals (Beasley, Bocanegra, Donovan, Frankie Hejduk, Keller).  All told, eight MLS teams will be represented in the tournament.  In addition, there will be players on the roster hailing from an amazing 15 different states.

The U.S. claimed the regional crown in 2005 by topping Panama in penalty kicks following 120 minutes of scoreless soccer at Giants Stadium. Conversions by Santino Quaranta, Landon Donovan and Brad Davis, as well as a key save from Kasey Keller, clinched the trophy for the U.S. Donovan and Beasley led the U.S. through the tournament scoring three goals each, and Onyewu and Jimmy Conrad established themselves in the center of the U.S. defense.

The U.S. is 18-0-1 all-time in group play at the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In addition to the three aforementioned titles in the first eight editions of the regional championship, the U.S. has also finished second twice and third twice. Overall, the U.S. has a 29-4-5 record in Gold Cup play, and the U.S. is 3-1 in penalty shootouts. Brazil and Mexico are each responsible for two of the U.S. defeats, while Colombia eliminated the U.S. on penalties in the 2000 quarterfinals.

The U.S. is gearing up for a busy summer, beginning with a tune-up match against China on June 2 at Spartan Stadium in San Jose. Following the Gold Cup, the U.S. will participate in the 2007 Copa America, the regional championship of South America. The 12-team tournament will run from June 26 to July 15 in nine cities across Venezuela. For the United States, the appearance will mark their third entrance into CONMEBOL’s signature event, and the first since a third place finish in 1995.  The United States will play its first match on European soil in 2007 when they travel to face 11-time World Cup finalists Sweden on Wed., Aug. 22 at Ullevi Stadium in Goteborg, Sweden.

U.S. Men's National Team
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Roster by Position
(A detailed roster is available at ussoccer.com)

GOALKEEPERS (3) – Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC), Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach)
DEFENDERS (8) –Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
MIDFIELDERS (8) – DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburger SV), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Steve Ralston (New England Revolution)
FORWARDS (4) – Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)

Head Coach: Bob Bradley