CHICAGO (March 20, 2016) – U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has called 26 players to Miami to prepare for the team’s pivotal pair of semifinal round World Cup Qualifying matches against Guatemala.
The U.S. travels to take on los Chapines at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City on Friday, March 25 at 10 p.m. ET (beIN Sport and NBC Universo). The teams then head to MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio for USA-Guatemala, presented by Liberty Mutual Insurance on Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2, UniMas and Univision Deportes Network).
“Our goal definitely for the two Guatemala fixtures is six points. We badly want to get the job done before the Copa America Centenario if possible,” said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “We know it’s going to be very difficult, especially in Guatemala City, but it’s also going to be difficult in Columbus, and there we have a great crowd behind us. We tried to make sure there’s the right mix of players, and we are convinced that this roster is strong enough to get the job done.”
The U.S. roster holds 18 players having previous experience in FIFA World Cup Qualifying matches, with seven having already appeared in two or more FIFA World Cup Qualifying cycles. Eight players will hope to earn their first World Cup Qualifying cap in the pair of matches.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; WCQ Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (4): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa; 9/0), Tim Howard (Everton FC; 30/0), William Yarbrough (Club Leon; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Ventura Alvarado (Club America; 0/0), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City; 8/0), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United; 0/0), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin; 0/0), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City; 15/1), Edgar Castillo (Monterrey; 4/0), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca; 8/0), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana; 4/1), DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland; 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake; 6/0), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes FC; 3/0), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC; 26/5), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC; 3/0), Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC; 0/0), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach; 11/1), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers FC; 2/0), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution; 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC; 28/12), Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC; 34/13), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Bobby Wood (Union Berlin; 2/1), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy; 2/1)
