October's highly anticipated CONCACAF Cup match between the US national team and Mexico is fast approaching, and we now know the exact crop of players from which each nations' coach will choose.
CONCACAF unveiled Tuesday the US and Mexico's preliminary rosters for the October 10th game, to be played at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. There exist few surprises, as US head coach Jurgen Klinsmann tabbed an established group of 34 players that includes Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore, and Jermaine Jones. In total, Klinsmann included 17 MLSers, notably tabbing 'keepers Bill Hamid (D.C. United) and Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake) to push starter Brad Guzan and longtime vet Tim Howard.
Mexico interim head coach Ricardo Ferretti has just one MLS-based player – LA Galaxy standout Giovani Dos Santos – on El Tri's 32-man preliminary squad, but also included former New York Red Bulls Designated Player Rafael Marquez. Other notable names for Mexico include Andres Guardado, Guillermo Ochoa, Carlos Vela, and Oribe Peralta.
The finalized rosters, whose players will determine which nation from CONCACAF reaches the 2017 Confederations Cup (a traditional competitive warm-up for the World Cup), are due October 1.
USA
Goalkeepers (4) - Brad Guzan (Aston Villa/England); Bill Hamid (D.C. United/USA); Tim Howard (Everton/England); Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake/USA)
Defenders (12) – Ventura Alvarado (Club America/Mexico); DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo/USA); Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City/USA); John Brooks (Hertha Berlin/Germany); Geoff Cameron (Stoke City/England); Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC/USA); Greg Garza (Atlas/Mexico); Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy/USA); Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana/Mexico); Tim Ream (Fulham/England); Jonathan Spector (Birmingham City/England); DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland/England)
Midfielders (12) – Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake/USA); Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes/France); Michael Bradley (Toronto FC/Canada); Joe Corona (Veracruz/Mexico); Mix Diskerud (New York City FC/USA); Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach/Germany); Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution/USA); Alfredo Morales (FC Ingolstadt/Germany); Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution/USA); Danny Williams (Reading/England); Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy/USA); Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City/USA)
Forwards (7) – Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/Canada); Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC/USA); Alan Gordon (LA Galaxy/USA); Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen/Germany); Jordan Morris (Stanford University/USA); Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes/USA); Bobby Wood (Union Berlin/Germany)
MEXICO
Goalkeepers (4) – Guillermo Ochoa (Malaga/Spain); Moises Munoz (Club America/Mexico); Alfredo Talavera (Toluca/Mexico); Jonathan Orozco (Monterrey/Mexico)
Defenders (10) – Paul Aguilar (Club America/Mexico); Diego Reyes (Real Sociedad/Spain); Rafael Marquez (Hellas Verona/Italy); Hector Moreno (PSV Eindhoven/Netherlands); Miguel Layun (Porto/Portugal); Hector Herrera (Porto, Portugal); Oswaldo Alanis (Guadalajara/Mexico); Arturo Rivas (Tigres/Mexico); Miguel Herrera (Pachuca/Mexico); Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres/Mexico)
Midfielders (9) – Israel Jimenez (Tigres/Mexico); Andres Guardado (PSV Eindhoven; Netherlands); Jose Juan Vazquez (Leon/Mexico); Jesus Duenas (Tigres/Mexico); Javier Aquino (Tigres/Mexico); Jonathan Dos Santos (Villarreal/ Spain); Luis Montes (Leon/Mexico); Carlos Pena (Leon/Mexico); Javier Guemez (Club America/Mexico)
Forwards (9) – Oribe Peralta (Club America/Mexico); Raul Jimenez (Benfica/Portugal); Carlos Vela (Real Sociedad/Spain); Carlos Esquivel (Toluca/Mexico); Jesus Corona (Porto/Portugal); Javier Hernandez (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany); Elias Hernandez (Leon/Mexico); Jurgen Damm (Tigres/Mexico); Giovani Dos Santos (LA Galaxy/United States)
