Houston Dynamo stars Stuart Holden and Pat Ianni have been called into training camp for the United States Under-23 Men's National Team. Holden and Ianni are part of a 22 player group that will train starting December 1 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California, before leaving for the two-match tour in China. The U-23 team will play the Chinese U-23 team in Changsha on December 13 and in Guangzhou December 16.
Holden played in 22 Major League Soccer matches for the Dynamo, with five goals and five assists. Holden was named MLS Player of the Week for week 14, after scoring a goal and two assists against the New York Red Bulls.
Ianni played in 16 league games, scoring in Kansas City June 24. Ianni was an integral part of the Dynamo defense that allowed a league-best 23 goals during the 2007 regular season.
Holden and Ianni will play for National Team coach Peter Nowak. This will be Nowak's first major camp with this squad, as the United States prepares for final round action of the 2008 CONCACAF Men's Under-23 Championship March 11-23, 2008, in Los Angeles, Tampa and Nashville. That tournament will determine two finalists to qualify for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Others named to the team include 2007 MLS Rookie of the Year Maurice Edu, and Houston-area product Arturo Alvarez.
