US Under-17 head coach Wilmer Cabrera has announced the 21 players he'll bring to the FIFA U-17 World Cup that starts in less than two weeks, and there are minimal changes from the squad that won the CONCACAF Championship earlier this year.
The big guns up top, including LA Galaxy striker Jack McBean and Southern California native Mario Rodriguez, are back to power what was an explosive group. But they will be with out one of their high-scoring comrades, Andrew Oliver. The forward from Indianapolis who left the Residency Program in Bradenton, Fla., due to discipline problems. He would have missed the first match of the World Cup after picking up a yellow card in the CONCACAF championship match.
Alessandro Mion (Miami) joins the defensive ranks, partially as a replacement for Andrew Souders (Amherst, Ohio) who made the roster but is listed as a midfielder. The Crew Soccer Academy product previously started next to Mobi Fehr (Tokyo) in the middle of the Americans' defense.
Elsewhere, Wade Hamilton (Murrieta, Calif.) joins MLS Academy members Kendall McIntosh (Santa Rosa, Calif.) and Fernando Piña (Houston) as the third netminder on the roster.
The final change is midfielder Nico Melo (Kissimmee, Fla.), who takes the spot previously held by Jordan Allen.
The US open the World Cup against the Czech Republic on June 19. They battle Uzbekistan three days later and finish out Group D play vs. New Zealand on June 26.
US U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (3): 21-Wade Hamilton (Arsenal FC; Murrieta, Calif.), 1-Kendall McIntosh (San Jose Earthquakes Academy; Santa Rosa, Calif.), 12-Fernando Piña (Houston Dynamo; Houston)
DEFENDERS (6): 16-Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas Academy; Plano, Texas), 4-Joe Amon (South Carolina United; Summerville, S.C.), 2-Zach Carroll (Vardar; Grand Blanch, Mich.), 6-Mobi Fehr (Tokyo Verdy 1969; Tokyo), 15-Alessandro Mion (Kendall SC; Miami), 3-Nathan Smith (Cal Odyssey; Clovis, Calif.),
MIDFIELDERS (8): 5-Matt Dunn (FC Cologne; Dallas), 10-Alejandro Guido (Aztecs Premier; Chula Vista, Calif.), 13-Nico Melo (Florida Rush; Kissimmee, Fla.), 11-Marc Pelosi (De Anza Force; Sunnyvale, Calif.), 8-Esteban Rodriguez (Cosmos Academy West; Palmdale, Calif.), 14-Tarik Salkicic (Strictly Soccer; Pinellas Park, Fla.), 17-Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy; Brighton, Colo.), 20-Andrew Souders (Crew Soccer Academy; Amherst, Ohio)
FORWARDS (4): 18-Paul Arriola (Arsenal FC; Chula Vista, Calif.), 7-Alfred Koroma (Solar SC; Arlington, Texas), 19-Jack McBean (Los Angeles Galaxy; Newport Beach, Calif.) 9-Mario Rodriguez (Central Aztecs; North Hollywood, Calif.)
