CHICAGO (Aug. 30, 2019)—U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team head coach Jason Kreis has named a 24-player roster to face Japan on Sept. 9 in Chula Vista, Calif. The team will gather for a training camp from Sept. 1-10 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, just south of San Diego.
The match vs. Japan represents another step in the U-23 MNT’s journey to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games as the USA aims to qualify for its first Men’s Olympic Tournament since 2008. Concacaf recently announced that the 2020 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Championship will be held March 20-April 1 in Guadalajara, Mexico. That tournament will send two teams from the North America, Central American and the Caribbean to Tokyo.
GOALKEEPERS (3): Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union; Wayne, Pa.), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; Alamo, Calif.), Andrew Thomas (Stanford; London, England)
DEFENDERS (8): Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls; New York, N.Y.), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Chris Gloster (PSV Eindhoven/NED; Montclair, N.J.), Niko Hamalainen (Kilmarnock FC/SCO; Miami, Fla.), Aaron Herrera (Real Salt Lake; Las Cruces, N.M.), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.), Donovan Pines (D.C. United; Clarksville, Md.), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union; Media, Pa.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.), Edwin Cerrillo (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United FC; Federal Way, Wash.), Alex Mendez (Ajax/NED; Los Angeles, Calif.), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire; Lemont, Ill.), Brandon Servania (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas)
FORWARDS (7): Omir Fernandez (New York Red Bulls; Bronx, N.Y.), Jesus Ferreira (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah), Sebastian Soto (Hannover 96/GER; Carlsbad, Calif.), Mason Toye (Minnesota United FC; South Orange, N.J.), Haji Wright (VVV-Venlo/NED; Los Angeles, Calif.)
Midfielder Djordje Mihailovic has already debuted for the senior Men’s National Team. He helped the USA reach the 2019 Gold Cup Final after earning his first cap and scoring his first international goal in the USA’s January friendly vs. Panama.
Thirteen players have represented the USA at a youth World Cup tournament. The U.S. is the only nation to advance to the quarterfinals of the last three FIFA U-20 World Cups, and twelve players join the U-23s from the 2019 and 2017 U-20 World Cup squads. Defenders Chris Gloster and Mark McKenzie, midfielders Edwin Cerrillo, Alex Mendez and Brandon Servania as well as forward Sebastian Soto return for their first National Team camp since playing for the USA in Poland at the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Thirteen clubs are represented on the roster, with 17 players based domestically and five players based abroad in the Netherlands (three), Germany (one) and Scotland (one).
The most players, four each, come from the Philadelphia Union and Real Salt Lake.
Goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, is playing collegiately, kicking off his sophomore season at Stanford.
Goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski is the only player to appear in all four U-23 training camps this year.
Philadelphia Union midifleder Brenden Aaronson scored his second goal of the season on Aug. 25 vs. D.C. United
Minnesota United midfielder Hassani Dotson and forward Mason Toye figured heavily in the team’s run to the U.S. Open Cup Final earlier this week. Both played all five games for the Loons during the tournament, and Toye scored the game-winner in the Round of 16 vs. reigning champs Houston Dynamo and in the Semifinal vs. Portland Timbers.
Defender Kyle Duncan scored his first professional goal on Aug. 22 for New York Red Bulls II vs. Nashville.
FC Dallas forward Jesus Ferreira scored his seventh goal of the season on Aug. 26 vs. Houston.
After transferring over the summer, Mendez made his first appearance for Jong Ajax on Aug. 19 vs. NEC Nijmegen.
Since returning from the U-20 World Cup, Servania has established himself as a regular starter for FC Dallas, playing in 11 of 12 matches and scoring his first two MLS goals.
Forward Haji Wright has appeared in three of VVV-Venlo’s first four games this season after a summer transfer to the Eredivisie club.
Twenty-two of 24 players have spent at least one season in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
Forward Sebastian Saucedo won West Conference Player of the Year in 2014. Saucedo, alongside RSL teammates Justen Glad, Aaron Herrera and Brooks Lennon won the U-15/16 Academy Championship in 2013.
Jesus Ferreira and Brandon Servania won the U-15/16 Championship in 2016 with FC Dallas, while Mihailovic won the U-17/18 Academy Championship in 2015 with the Chicago Fire.