Academy

LA Galaxy's Haji Wright leads list of 7 MLS Academy players called to US U-17 national team

US Under-17 national team and LA Galaxy Academy striker Haji Wright

US Under-17 national team head coach Richie Williams named a 22-player squad on Tuesday for the upcoming Josip Katalinski International Tournament in Sarajevo, Bosnia-Herzegovina.


The roster features seven players from MLS academies, including one who featured prominently in the team’s 2013 Nike International Friendlies title and the 2014 Aegean Cup championship.


Forward Haji Wright of the LA Galaxy Academy rejoins the team after scoring two goals in the Aegean Cup in February and earning the Golden Boot in the Nike International Friendlies tournament in December. FC Dallas Academy forward Weston McKennie also rejoins the team after playing in the Nike Invitationals.


The other MLS Academy players named to the squad are defenders Tyler Adams and Matthew Olosunde (New York Red Bulls Academy) and Hugo Arellano (Chivas USA Academy) and midfielder Alejandro Zendejas (FC Dallas Academy).



The US will kick off the tournament, which runs from Thursday through Sunday, against the Montenegro U-17 national team on Thursday and then will play the Sarajevo Select team the following day. The results will help determine which Placement Match the team plays in on Sunday against the Bosnia U-17 national team, Belgrade Select or the Macedonia U-17 national team.


The US U-17s will then cap off their trip, which comes on the heels of their recent March tour of the Pacific Northwest, with a pair of friendlies against Croatia on April 8 and 10.


Here is the entire US U-17 roster:


GOALKEEPERS (2): William Pulisic (Richmond Strikers; Mechanicsville, Va.), Kevin Silva (PDA; Bethlehem, Pa.)



DEFENDERS (8): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls Academy; Wappingers Falls, N.Y.), Hugo Arellano (Chivas USA Academy; Norwalk, Calif.), Daniel Barbir (Unattached; Allentown, Pa.), Tanner Dieterich (TN Soccer Club; Nashville, Tenn.), Edwin Lara (De Anza Force; San Leandro, Calif.), John Nelson (Internationals; Medina, Ohio), Matthew Olosunde (New York Red Bulls Academy; Trenton, N.J.), Alexis Velela (San Diego Surf; San Diego)



MIDFIELDERS (6): George Braima (Crew Soccer Academy; Columbus, Ohio), Eric Calvillo (Real So Cal; Palmdale, Calif.), Luca de la Torre (Fulham; San Diego), Thomas McCabe (PDA; South Orange, N.J.), Christian Pulisic (PA Classics; Hershey, Pa.), Alejandro Zendejas (FC Dallas Academy; El Paso, Texas)



FORWARDS (6): Pierre Da Silva (New York Soccer Club; Port Chester, N.Y.), McKinze Gaines (Lonestar SC; Austin, Texas), Joe Gallardo (Monterrey; San Diego), Weston McKennie (FC Dallas Academy; Little Elm, Texas), Elijah Rice (Chicago Magic PSG; Highland Park, Ill.), Haji Wright (LA Galaxy Academy; Los Angeles)