US Under-23 national team coach Andi Herzog named nine MLS standouts among the 24 players called to the final preparation camp before the 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in October.
Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Eric Miller (Montreal Impact), Boyd Okwuonu (Real Salt Lake), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Marc Pelosi (San Jose Earthquakes), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire) and Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC) comprise the domestic-based group that will seek to stake their claim for a place among the squad that will attempt to book tickets to Rio de Janeiro 2016.
Herzog will gather his charges in Manchester, England for a camp that will open on Sunday and run through Sept. 8. Friendlies have been scheduled against England on Sept. 3 at Deepdale Stadium in Preston and vs. Qatar on Sept. 8 at Gigg Lane in Bury.
“These are two important games here because they are our last before the Olympic Qualifying tournament,” Herzog said in a statement. “We have a strong group of players that we believe in, and now we are able to look as some of the guys who did very well with our U-20 team. This is really the last chance for all of the players to make an impression before we select the final roster for qualifying.”
The 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship will be played in the United States from Oct. 1-13. The U.S. were drawn into Group A and open with a pair of games at Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas: against Canada on Oct. 1 (9 pm ET) and Cuba on Oct. 3 (5 pm ET). The U.S. will conclude group play at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado on Oct. 6 against Panama (9:30 pm ET).
Full roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Cody Cropper (MK Dons; Maple Grove, Minn.), Ethan Horvath (Molde; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zack Steffen (Freiburg; Downington, Pa.).
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur; Westcliff on Sea, England), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Eric Miller (Montreal Impact; Woodbury, Minn.), Boyd Okwuonu (Real Salt Lake; Edmund, Okla.), Shane O'Neill (Apollon Limassol; Boulder, Colo.), William Packwood (Unattached; Concord, Mass.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids; Brighton, Colo.), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif).
MIDFIELDERS (8): Gboly Ariyibi (Chesterfield; Arlington County, Va.), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham; Dallas, Tex.), Benji Joya (Club Necaxa; San Jose, Calif.), Marc Pelosi (San Jose Earthquakes; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire; Milwaukee, Wisc.), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; Gahanna, Ohio), Gedion Zelalem (Rangers; Bethesda, Md.).
FORWARDS (5): Alonso Hernandez (C.D. Juarez; El Paso, Texas), Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart; Berlin, Germany), Mario Rodriguez (Borussia Mönchengladbach; North Hollywood, Calif.), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht; Beaverton, Ore.), Maki Tall (Sion; Washington, D.C.).
