Toronto FC announced Thursday that midfielder Maurice Edu and defender Marvell Wynne have been named to the U.S. Men's Olympic team roster for the upcoming games in Beijing. Head Coach Peter Nowak named the 18 man roster in coordination with the USOC via conference call from Chicago.
The United States will begin training on Sunday, July 20, in Palo Alto, California before departing to Hong Kong on Thursday, June 25 for the ING Cup. In Hong Kong, the team will face two Olympic team opponents in the Ivory Coast and Cameroon. Edu and Wynne are expected to meet up with the National team after their commitments with Toronto FC.
"We congratulate both Mo (Maurice) and Marvell, on what is sure to be an experience of a lifetime," said head coach John Carver. "It's not everyday that an athlete gets a chance to experience something like this - we wish them the best of luck and hope they bring home a medal when they return to Toronto."
Edu and Wynne both competed in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in February and March of this year helping the U.S. earn a berth for the 2008 Olympic Games. Prior to the tournament in the spring, both players attended training camp in China in December of 2007 playing in two matches.
At the senior level, Edu has seven caps. The U-23 captain attended his first ever Mens' National team camp in Switzerland in October of 2007, that was followed by a friendly against South Africa in November. In early 2008, Edu travelled to Los Angeles to face Sweden in a friendly and played the full 90 minutes in a 2-0 victory. A month later In February he came on as a substitute against Mexico in a game that was played in Houston in front of over 70,000 fans. The United States played three friendlies prior to the beginning of their 2008 FIFA World Cup Qualifying campaign, and Edu featured in all of them. Those included a game where the midfielder came on as a substitute against England at Wembley Stadium, a full 90 minute outing against Spain, as well as a 45 minute outing against Argentina in a sold out Giants Stadium in New York.
Wynne earned his first cap at the senior level in the summer of 2007, earning a spot on the U.S. team for the Copa America tournament where he faced Argentina and played the full 90 minutes.
