Bradley selects roster for Gold Cup
Bob Bradley, coach of the U.S. national soccer team, on Thursday announced his roster for the 12-nation CONCACAF Gold Cup, the regional championship for teams in North and Central America and the Caribbean.
The 23 players for the June 6-24 tournament include 12 from Major League Soccer and 11 from European clubs. “It gives us, I think, a very good blend of youth and experience,” Bradley said.
The players range in age from 37-year-old goalkeeper Kasey Keller to Bradley’s 19-year-old son, Michael, who plays for SC Heerenveen in the Netherlands.
Keller will alternate in the nets with Tim Howard, who Bradley said from now on should be considered the team’s No. 1 goalkeeper.
The U.S. is the defending Gold Cup champion, having defeated Panama on penalty kicks in the 2005 final. This year’s winner will qualify for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup in South Africa. In the Gold Cup, the U.S. plays Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago and El Salvador in the first round, with the first two games in Carson June 7 and 9.
The Gold Cup roster includes goalkeeper Brad Guzan and defender Jonathan Bornstein from Chivas USA and forward Landon Donovan from the Galaxy. Bradley said “eight to 12” members of the Gold Cup roster would be included on the roster for the June 26-July 15 Copa America in Venezuela and hinted strongly that Donovan would be one of those expected to play in both events.
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U.S. roster
The U.S. 2007 Gold Cup roster:
* Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC), Kasey Keller (Borussia Moenchengladbach).
* Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution), Frank Simek (Sheffield Wednesday), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United).
* Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (PSV Eindhoven), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Benny Feilhaber (Hamburger SV), Justin Mapp (Chicago Fire), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Steve Ralston (New England Revolution).
* Forwards: Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Galaxy), Eddie Johnson (Kansas City Wizards), Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution).
