Chicago, Ill. - U.S. Men's National Team manager Bruce Arena has called 28 players into camp to train for the upcoming FIFA World Cup qualifier against Trinidad & Tobago on Feb. 9 in Port of Spain, Trinidad. FC Dallas forward Eddie Johnson was one of those 28 players called into the U.S. soccer camp. The final squad that will travel to Trinidad & Tobago will consist of 18 players that will be determined by Arena at a later date.
Johnson, 20, is coming off an outstanding first year with the Men's National Team (MNT), scoring five goals in three matches, including a hat trick as a substitute in a 6-0 win against Panama on Oct. 13. In that match against Panama, Johnson became the first substitute in U.S. Men's soccer history to record a hat trick and the eighth total player to accomplish the feat. With goals against El Salvador, Panama and Jamaica, he became the first player in MNT history to score goals in his first three qualifying appearances. He also joined Alexander Rae as one of only two players in MNT history with goals in each of his first three caps. Of his five goals, four of those goals came in just 45 minutes of play during his first two matches as a substitute.
"This is an exciting time of my life and I look forward to having the opportunity once again to go to camp with some of the best players in the world," said Johnson. "I'm looking forward to getting a lot out of this camp and becoming a better soccer player for both my country and for my club team, FC Dallas."
After Trinidad, the U.S. faces a double-dose of qualifiers at the end of March. Following a trip to Mexico on March 27, the USA will open its home schedule of final round qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup on Wednesday, March 30 at Legion Field in Birmingham, Alabama. Kickoff against Guatemala is set for 7 p.m. CST, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.
The U.S. will play 10 matches in the final round of qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup from Feb. 9 - Oct. 13, 2005. The USA, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, Panama and Trinidad & Tobago are competing for three automatic berths to the World Cup finals in Germany. The fourth-place finisher will face the fifth-place team from the Asian Football Confederation in a home-and-home series to determine the last entrant into the tournament.
