Tim Weah will get a chance to wear a U.S. jersey at the senior level for the first time. (Photo courtesy of PSG)

By Michael Lewis

FrontRowSoccer.com Editor

Talk about thinking young.

U.S. men’s national coach Dave Sarachan selected a 22-player squad for its March 27 international friendly against Paraguay that averages 23 years and 84 days.

Moreover, 17 players are 24 or under and the roster has a total of 162 international appearances and 14 goals under its collective belt. And, seven players don’t even have a cap for the game in Cary, N.C

Defender DeAndre Yedlin, who plays for Newcastle United (England), has the most internatonal experience with 49 caps, followed by Bobby Wood (Hamburg, Germany) with 36.

Three players will be familiar to metropolitan area fans — former Red Bulls center back Matt Miazga (four caps), who performs for Vitesse in the Netherlands, Red Bulls midfielder Tyler Adams (two apperances) and Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain, France), a former B.W. Gottschee standout who was called into his first camp. Weah, who grew up in New York City, is the son of soccer legend George Weah, who recently was elected president of Liberia.

“This match once again represents an opportunity for some new faces. The roster has an average age under 24, so for the most part this is a group of younger players that we feel have a future with the National Team along with some familiar names,” Sarachan said. “The timing is right to give these guys international exposure, and they will certainly be tested against a strong and experienced Paraguay side.

U.S. roster

GOALKEEPERS (3): Alex Bono (Toronto FC/CAN; 0/0), Bill Hamid (Midtjylland/DEN; 5/0), Zack Steffen (Columbus Crew SC; 1/0)

DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Ipswich Town/ENG; 1/0), Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest/ENG; 14/1), Matt Miazga (Vitesse/NED; 4/1), Shaq Moore (Levante/ESP; 0/0), Erik Palmer-Brown (Kortrijk/BEL; 0/0), Antonee Robinson (Bolton Wanderers/ENG; 0/0), Jorge Villafaña (Santos Laguna/MEX; 15/0), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United/ENG; 49/0)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; 2/0), Marky Delgado (Toronto FC/CAN; 0/0), Weston McKennie (Schalke/GER; 1/1), Darlington Nagbe (Atlanta United FC; 24/1), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 2/0), Kenny Saief (Anderlecht/BEL; 1/0), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC; 3/0), Tim Weah (Paris Saint-Germain/FRA; 0/0)

FORWARDS (3): Andrija Novakovich (Telstar/NED; 0/0), Rubio Rubin (Club Tijuana/MEX; 4/0), Bobby Wood (Hamburg/GER; 36/10)

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.