Bruce Arena pledged to lean heavily on MLS when he was hired as the new United States men’s national team roster, and he’s done just that. He announced his squad to face Honduras and Panama on Wednesday, and it features 13 domestic-based players.
USMNT roster announced for World Cup qualifiers against Honduras and Panama
Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard are back, as are a slew of MLS players that Jurgen Klinsmann didn’t care for.
Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images
Among the notable names in this team that weren’t regularly considered under Jurgen Klinsmann are left back Jorge Villafaña, center back Walker Zimmerman, central midfielders Kellyn Acosta and Dax McCarty, and midfield utility men Sebastian Lletget and Darlington Nagbe.
DeAndre Yedlin is unavailable due to injury, so Arena is short at right back. It looks likely that Geoff Cameron or Michael Orozco Fiscal — usually central defenders — will slide over. Arena could also use Fabian Johnson or Acosta in that spot, but USMNT fans will be happy to see that he seemingly intends on using them in the midfield.
Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey barely got back to full fitness to make this team. Howard was very good in his first start back with Colorado Rapids over the weekend, while Dempsey has played two 90-minute games with Seattle Sounders since recovering from a heart condition.
Here’s the squad.
Goalkeepers (3): Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids), Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (8): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Tim Ream (Fulham), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Michael Orozco Fiscal (Club Tijuana)
Midfielders (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (LA Galaxy), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund)
Forwards (4): Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders), Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Bobby Wood (Hamburg)
The USMNT hosts Honduras on Friday, March 24 at 10:30 p.m. ET, which you can watch on FS1. Then they go away to Panama, which you can catch on Tuesday, March 28 at 11 p.m. ET on beIN Sports.
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