CARSON, Calif. - U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named a 20-player roster that will travel to Phoenix in advance of the match against regional rival Mexico on Feb. 7 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
The match will be part of a two-and-half-hour broadcast window on both ESPN2 and Univision beginning at 7 p.m. MT (9 p.m. ET), with kickoff slated for 7:25 p.m. MT (9:25 p.m. ET). In addition to the ESPN2 and Univision coverage, the game can also be followed on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker and is available on the Futbol de Primera radio network.
"After weeks of getting to know this group and trying to develop an understanding of how we want to work together as a group every day, everyone is looking forward to the chance to finally play in one of the great rivalries in our sport," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "As we look towards the tournaments this summer, this is an important opportunity to get these players experience and evaluate them at the same time."
Of the 20 players on the list, 16 have been a part of the U.S. group since the team convened on Jan. 4 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. All told, only eight have previous experience against Mexico. Landon Donovan has faced Mexico seven times, scoring twice, including his critical goal in the USA's 2-0 World Cup victory in 2002. Pablo Mastroeni has taken the field against Mexico five times.
"We all know results are important; at the same time this is the beginning of a four-year cycle and we need to take a look at some new faces and see if they will be able to help us down the road," added Bradley, who will discuss the Mexico match and other topics in a 30-minute conversation on Sunday night on Fox Soccer Channel at 11 p.m. ET / 8 p.m. PT. "The only way to accomplish that is to expose them to difficult competition and difficult environments to see how they perform. That's what these games are all about."
All four players traveling across the Atlantic from England were on the 2006 FIFA World Cup roster for the United States. Clint Dempsey, who recently joined fellow call-up Carlos Bocanegra at Fulham, scored for the U.S. against Ghana in their final group match in Germany. Reading FC midfielder Bobby Convey returns after appearing in all three matches in the World Cup, including two starts. Everton FC goalkeeper Tim Howard shutout Mexico in his only appearance against the Tricolor, a 0-0 draw on May 8, 2003, in Houston, Texas.
The match on Feb. 7 will mark the 52nd meeting between the USA and Mexico. The U.S. has dominated the series of late, collecting a 6-0-1 home record against Mexico since 2000. During that span, the USA has netted 11 goals, while the Mexicans have failed to score a single goal on American soil. In the team's last meeting, the U.S. used a 2-0 victory on Sept. 3, 2005, in Columbus, Ohio, to become the first team in CONCACAF to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup.
The U.S. is riding a 10-match unbeaten run against Mexico in domestic games played outside of California, posting an overall 7-1-3 record while outscoring the visitors 18 to 5. The U.S. will be making its first appearance at the University of Phoenix Stadium and only their third overall in Arizona. The U.S. last played in the Grand Canyon State more than 12 years ago, pulling off a 2-1 win against Norway at Sun Devil Stadium on January 15, 1994, in Tempe. In their only other match, the U.S. drew 2-2 with Denmark on Jan. 20, 1993.
After games against Ecuador on March 25 in Tampa, Fla., and Guatemala on March 28 in Frisco, Texas, the United States will compete in two major championships this summer. The three-time champions will first try to defend their title against 11 other teams at the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, scheduled from June 6-24 in several cities across the United States. Just a few days later, 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.
ROSTER BY POSITION
Goalkeepers (2) - Joe Cannon (Los Angeles Galaxy), Tim Howard (Everton FC)
Defenders (7) - Chris Albright (Los Angeles Galaxy), Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Bobby Boswell (D.C. United), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Bryan Namoff (D.C. United), Eddie Robinson (Houston Dynamo)
Midfielders (7) -Brian Carroll (D.C. United), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Bobby Convey (Reading FC), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Joshua Gros (D.C. United), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)
Forwards (4) - Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
