CHICAGO – Red Bulls defenders Kyle Duncan and Aaron Long have been selected to the 25-player roster for the U.S. men’s national team’s friendly vs.Trinidad & Tobago in Orlando Sunday, Jan. 31.
Coverage from Exploria Stadium for the USA’s first match of the year begins at 7 p.m. ET on FS1, UniMás and TUDN.
The group was selected from an initial list of 12 senior team players and 26 Under-23 MNT players that began training Jan. 9 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The team traveled to Orlando Sunday afternoon.
As of Jan. 31, the average age of the roster will be 23 years, 302 days. The roster also averages 10 caps.
Forward Jozy Altidore (115 caps) is the most senior player, followed by Paul Arriola (34), Kellyn Acosta (24), Cristian Roldan (19), Aaron Long (18) and Sebastian Lletget (17).
LAFC defender Tristan Blackmon suffered a concussion in training Saturday and will return to Los Angeles.
At the start of a crucial year for the USMNT that includes the Concacaf Nations League Final Four, the Gold Cup and the start of 2022 World Cup Qualifying, the tilt against the Soca Warriors gives the players an opportunity to stake their claim for spots.
“These last two weeks have been an absolute pleasure. The hard work and determination demonstrated by the entire group confirms that the player pool is headed in the right direction,” head coach Gregg Berhalter said in a statement. “As we transition to Orlando, we switch gears and focus on competing as we prepare to face Trinidad and Tobago.”
Fifteen Major League Soccer teams are represented, with hometown Orlando City SC contributing a league-high four players. Sixteen players are age-eligible for the 2021 Concacaf Olympic Qualifying Championship in Guadalajara, Mexico from March 18-30.
The roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union; 0/0), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; 0/0), Matt Turner (New England Revolution; 0/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy; 1/0), George Bello (Atlanta United FC; 0/0), Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls; 1/0), Aaron Herrera (Real Salt Lake; 0/0), Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 18/3), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire FC; 0/0), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United FC; 2/0), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; 2/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 13/2)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 24/2), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 17/4), Benji Michel (Orlando City SC; 0/0), Andrés Perea (Orlando City SC; 0/0), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC; 19/0), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas; 0/0), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; 8/0)
FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC/CAN; 115/42), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 34/6), Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC; 0/0), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; 1/0), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids; 6/0), Chris Mueller (Orlando City SC; 1/2)
