Tag Archives: Sacha Kljestan

USA Names 30 Man Roster, Davies Not Included

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US Soccer logoCHICAGO (May 11, 2010) — U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bob Bradley has submitted to FIFA the 30-man preliminary roster for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. From this list, a squad of 23 players must be chosen by June 1 for the final roster that will travel to South Africa. The 30 players will begin reporting to Princeton, N.J., on May 15 for the start of training camp, with field sessions beginning two days later.

The U.S. will face two of the traditionally stronger teams from Europe in the Czech Republic and Turkey in the Send-Off Series prior to departing for South Africa. The match against Czech Republic on May 25 in East Hartford, CT will be broadcast live on ESPN and Galavision. The final home tune-up match against Turkey will be played May 29 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. ESPN2 and Galavision will broadcast the match live. ESPN will be airing a special 30-minute pre-game show.

U.S. TRAINING CAMP ROSTER BY POSITION – Detailed Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton)
DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
MIDFIELDERS (12): DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Örebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), José Torres (Pachuca)
FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris Thessaloniki)

“Throughout the past three years a number of players have contributed to our journey toward South Africa and we appreciate all of their efforts,” said Bradley. “We are very excited to get this group together to begin our pre-World Cup training camp as we continue to prepare for the challenge of the World Cup.”

The U.S. team will depart for South Africa on May 30, arriving the following day. The United States will play Australia on June 5 in Roodepoort, South Africa, one week before playing its first match of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Kickoff at Ruimsig Stadium in suburban Johannesburg is set for 2:30 p.m. local time (8:30 a.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

The U.S. Men’s National Team has been drawn into Group C with England, Slovenia and Algeria for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The U.S. will open its sixth consecutive World Cup finals tournament against England on June 12 in Rustenburg, and will follow that game with matches against Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg and Algeria on June 23 in Tshwane/Pretoria.

USA Men’s Olympic Roster Named

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The roster for the US U23 squad that will play at the upcoming Olympic games has been named. Lots of familiar names including including Brian McBride, Brad Guzan and Michael Parkurst as the three older players allowed under the rules. Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley and some others. Then there’s the fellow pictured in the photo (by Micheal Goulding, Orange County Register) who I’ve seen plenty of as I’ve become a Chivas USA fan this season:

Sacha Kljestan, captain of Team USA during Olympic qualifying, is also a lock to be named Thursday to the U.S. squad for the 2008 Olympic Games, the first major international tournament in a young career that promises to be full of them. In Kljestan, many in American soccer see the playmaker Team USA has missed since Claudio Reyna’s retirement from the international game. Kljestan is one of the top passers in MLS but his real gifts are his vision and imagination, what U.S. national team coach Bob Bradley calls his “Soccer IQ.”

Check out the complete story in the Orange County Register, describing Sacha’s background and his father’s journey from Serbia, to Canada, and then into the US 28 years ago with an athletic bag and $150. Immigrants rule!