On Sunday morning, U.S. Soccer released the provisional roster for the U-20 National Team. Each of the players on the 35-man list are eligible for selection to the 20 spots on the team’s final roster for the 2015 CONCACAF U-20 Championship. That regional tournament kicks off in Jamaica on January 9.
The full provisional roster published by U.S. Soccer is printed below with players who featured in USL PRO in 2014 in bold:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Jeff Caldwell (Virginia), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK), Zack Steffen (SC Freiburg)
DEFENDERS (12): Michael Amick (UCLA), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur), Conor Donovan (N.C. State), Chase Gasper (UCLA), Luis Martir (Chivas Guadalajara), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Shaquell Moore (Unattached), Chris Odoi-Atsem (Maryland), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City), Tommy Redding (Orlando City), John Requejo (Club Tijuana), Tyler Turner (Orlando City)
MIDFIELDERS (12): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Fernando Arce (Club Tijuana), Corey Baird (Stanford), Russell Canouse (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Marco Delgado (Toronto FC), Luis Felipe (Cruzeiro), Junior Flores (Borussia Dortmund), Romain Gall (Columbus Crew), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union), Joel Soñora (CA Boca Juniors)
FORWARDS (8): Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy), Amando Moreno (Club Tijuana), Alex Muyl (Georgetown), Andrija Novakovich (Reading), Rubio Rubin (FC Utrecht), Ben Spencer (Indy Eleven), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes)
2015’s edition of the biennial regional tournament, which will send four nations to the U-20 World Cup, will feature two groups of six teams. Each group winner automatically qualifies while the second and third placed teams from each group will compete in a playoff for the remaining two spots.
The U.S. U-20 National Team will face Guatemala, Panama, Aruba, Jamaica, and Trinidad & Tobago between January 9 and 21. In preparation for this tournament, U-20 head coach Tab Ramos has called in 21 players for a training camp in Sunrise, Florida until January 5. Most of these players are expected to make the trip to Jamaica at the conclusion of the camp.
The following 21 players are currently set to join the USA in Sunrise, Florida:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Ethan Horvath (Molde FK), Zack Steffen (SC Freiburg)
DEFENDERS (7): Conor Donovan (N.C. State), Chase Gasper (UCLA), Luis Martir (Chivas Guadalajara), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Shaquell Moore (Unattached), John Requejo (Club Tijuana), Tyler Turner (Orlando City)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Fernando Arce (Club Tijuana), Russell Canouse (TSG 1899 Hoffenheim), Marco Delgado (Toronto FC), Junior Flores (Borussia Dortmund), Romain Gall (Columbus Crew), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland)
FORWARDS (5): Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy), Amando Moreno (Club Tijuana), Ben Spencer (Indy Eleven), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes)
Bradford Jamieson IV is a dangerous winger who scored 6 goals and added an assist in 1204 minutes across 18 appearances for LA Galaxy II in 2014. Jamieson has the ability to change games at the USL PRO level as a wide outlet for his team and the quickness to cause defenders fits when he is cutting in on goal.
Tommy Thompson only played 6 games for Sacramento Republic FC on loan from San Jose Earthquakes but he did feature the full 90 minutes in each appearance. Thompson has quick feet, loads of technical ability, and a clever creativity that draws lots of attention.
Tyler Turner was a regular in a very talented Orlando City SC squad despite only being 18 years old. The young fullback scored a goal and assisted twice in 24 games with Orlando in 2014. His 1875 minutes in the regular season put him in 7th for total minutes on the Lions and his physical play in the back belies his age.
The inclusion of these three players in the Florida training camp underscores the important role that USL PRO is growing into within American soccer. While several players hail from academy systems in Europe (including those born overseas like Tottenham’s Cameron Carter-Vickers) and a few still come to youth national teams from NCAA programs, USL PRO is becoming a destination for developing young American players.
The burgeoning third division league provides a useful platform for young players to grow their game and prepare themselves for top-tier professional and international competition. USL PRO alumni will continue to fill youth national team rosters as the league cements its place in American soccer.