April 24, 2007
The US U-20s will bring primarily a domestic based squad to Rochester on May 15th when they face off with defending U-20 World Cup champs Argentina.
Johann Smith is the only European based player that has been named to coach Thomas Rongen's 16 man roster that was announced yesterday. Smith is currently on loan at Carlisle United from English club Bolton Wanderer. The US has one other foreign based player on the roster with defender Jesus Padilla from Chivas de Guadalajara getting the call for the US.
The big name MLS players on the roster are captain and Real Salt Lake midfielder Freddy Adu, New York Red Bulls forward Jozy Altidore, and Columbus Crew midfielder Danny Szetela. Adu, Szetela, and LA Galaxy defender Nathan Sturgis were a part of the US's 2005 U-20 World Cup squad that defeated eventual champions Argentina 1-0 in the group stage of the tournament in the Netherlands.
The US and Argentina have split two games since that 2005 match with Argentina winning 4-0 last spring and the US winning 3-1 last September in the Busan Youth Tournament in South Korea.
Vallow and Bertz named to the USL 1st Division Team of the Week
Bertz's game winning goal and Vallow's clean sheet in Miami a week ago Sunday landed the Rhinos leaders a spot on the opening USL 1st Division Team of the Week.
Once again I have to say, thank goodness the Rhinos were able to sign these two to contract extensions this offseason.
MLS News & Notes
- DC United will also wear jerseys honoring Virginia Tech that will be auctioned off to support the Virginia Tech Hokie Spirit Memorial Fund when they take on the Columbus Crew this Saturday. DC becomes the second MLS team to do this as the Houston Dynamo have previously announced that they will do the same thing for their match on Sunday.
- MLSNet.com has a little article on all of the roster moves that Toronto FC have been making recently and how they will affect the team on the field. Given that they're off to a slow start, I doubt you can argue that chemistry issues should have stopped Mo Johnston from playing around with his roster in the early part of the season. Plus, getting Mulrooney and Casey out of that locker room is likely to help the team's chemistry way more than the moves hurt anything.
- Glenn Davis of the Houston Chronicle talks with former Rhino Pat Onstad about how soccer in the US has grown over his long pro career. Who knew that Pat almost retired after the 2003 Rhinos season?
- Kasey Keller to Real Salt Lake? SI.com's Jonah Freeman talks about the possibility. The hold up seems to be that Real Salt Lake is happy with Nick Rimando, who's been giving up questionable goals at an astounding rate, and US U-20 goalkeeper Chris Seitz as opposed to one of the three best goalkeepers in US Soccer history. Ummmm, Earth to RSL: Keller will win more games than Freddy Adu.
- The Sunday New York Times had a big article on Uncle Phil. The title is "Goal! He Spends It On Beckham" and it's a very interesting read on probably the most influencial person in US Soccer today.
US Soccer News & Notes
- The USMNT will take on Sweden in Goteberg on August 22nd in a match that is being used by the Swedes as a tuneup for some Euro 2008 qualifiers that they have coming up later this year.
- Yanks Abroad is reporting that Manchester City midfielder DeMarcus Beasley is done with the club that owns his contract, PSV Eindhoven. Beasley would like to see his loan to the EPL club made permanent. The question now is whether Man City feels the same way.
- US Soccer.com has podcasts up with USWNT head coach Greg Ryan and USWNT players Abby Wambach, Kristine Lilly, and Cat Whitehill getting their reaction to Sunday's WWC draw and the US getting placed into the "Group of Death". The response was best summed up by Lilly's "Bring it on!". But what else would you expect from the best team in the world?
Carolina RailHawks to take on Chivas USA on May 8th
Preki, Amado Guevara, Ante Razov, and company will be playing the Carolina RailHawks on May 8th at SAS Soccer Park.
I wonder how long it will take for RailHawks fans to have the same reaction to friendlies versus MLS clubs that Rhino fans seem to have?
The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author, and not necessarily those of the Rochester Rhinos or SoccerSam.com. Feel free to send any comments or complaints to news@soccersam.com. James promises to read (but not to respond) to all of them.
