CARSON, Calif. - Three Chivas USA players - goalkeeper Brad Guzan, defender Jonathan Bornstein and midfielder Sacha Kljestan - have been invited to the U.S. National Team's upcoming camp at The Home Depot Center, beginning January 4, U.S. Soccer announced today. Under current U.S. head coach and former Chivas USA manager Bob Bradley, a 29-player group will prepare for the USA's first match of 2007, versus Denmark on January 20 at The Home Depot Center. Less than a month later, the U.S. will face Mexico, on February 7 in Glendale, Arizona.
"On behalf of the entire Chivas family, I would like to congratulate Brad, Jonny and Sacha for this latest achievement in their promising young careers," said Chivas USA President and Co-Owner Antonio Cué. "As I have said, one of Chivas USA's aims is to become a source of talent for both the Mexican and U.S. national teams, and we are proud to see this dream take one more step towards becoming a reality."
Guzan, Bornstein and Kljestan were instrumental to Chivas USA's success in 2006, when the team qualified for the playoffs for the first time in just its second season in Major League Soccer.
In particular, it will be a busy offseason for Guzan and Kljestan, who recently returned from a 10-day trip to England (December 1-10) with MLS's 'Generation adidas' program, where they faced the reserve sides of English clubs Queens Park Rangers, Coventry City and Watford.
Guzan, 22, earns his second call-up to the full U.S. national team, having debuted as a starter in the USA's 4-0 win against Guatemala on February 19 in Frisco, Texas. In just his second MLS season, the 6'4", 210-lb. netminder played 13 regular-season games for Chivas USA (starting 13), logging 1,170 minutes and registering a 1.46 GAA. Guzan earned several key shutouts down the stretch, in addition to starting both playoff games against the Houston Dynamo, making a diving penalty-kick save against Dwayne DeRosario on October 22 in Carson. He also made two saves in Chivas USA's penalty-kick shootout win over Club América of Mexico on July 23 at The Home Depot Center, earning Chivas USA its first trophy in the InterClásico exhibition series.
Bornstein, 22, earns his first call-up to a U.S. national team camp after being named MLS's 2006 Gatorade Rookie of the Year. Picked in the fourth round (37th overall) of the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, Bornstein would go on to play more minutes than any other field player in Major League Soccer in 2006, starting all 32 regular-season games and logging an impressive 2,878 minutes, registering 6 goals and 4 assists while playing at left back, left midfield and forward. Bornstein, who attended Cal Poly Pomona and later, UCLA, was raised in Los Alamitos, California, just minutes' drive from The Home Depot Center.
Kljestan, 21, also earns his first call-up to a senior U.S. national team camp, having been a member of the U.S. Under-20 side that advanced to the knockout phase of the 2005 World Youth Championship in Holland. Picked fifth overall in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft, Kljestan would go on to play in all 32 regular-season games for Chivas USA (starting 31), logging 2,676 minutes at both central and right midfield, while registering 7 assists, the highest total among MLS rookies in 2006. Kljestan is also local product, having been born and raised in nearby Huntington Beach, California.
"This is a great opportunity to get a first-hand look at a wide variety of domestic-based players as we begin a new World Cup cycle," said U.S. National Team Head Coach Bob Bradley. "Obviously, the goal for developing our team is to be ready for World Cup qualifying in 2008, and this is where we start."
Chivas USA, Major League Soccer's Mexican-owned, Los Angeles-based franchise, kicks off its third campaign in MLS on Saturday, April 7, 2007 at 7:30 p.m. PT versus Canadian expansion franchise Toronto FC at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Tickets are available by calling 1-877-CHIVAS-1 or online via www.cdchivasusa.com.
U.S. NATIONAL TEAM ROSTER (BY POSITION) - JANUARY 2007 CAMP
Goalkeepers (4): Joe Cannon (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Troy Perkins (D.C. United), Matt Reis (New England Revolution)
Defenders (9): Chris Albright (Los Angeles Galaxy), Bobby Boswell (D.C. United), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Bryan Namoff (D.C. United), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Heath Pearce (FC Nordsjælland), Dasan Robinson (Chicago Fire) Eddie Robinson (Houston Dynamo)
Midfielders (10): Kyle Beckerman (Colorado Rapids), Brian Carroll (D.C. United), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (New England Revolution), Joshua Gros (D.C. United), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Brian Mullan (Houston Dynamo), Pat Noonan (New England Revolution)
Forwards (6): Kenny Cooper (FC Dallas), Alecko Eskandarian (D.C. United), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Nate Jaqua (Los Angeles Galaxy), Chris Rolfe (Chicago Fire), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
Head Coach: Bob Bradley
