TNT Sports
USA name MLS-based squad
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Published 16/03/2006 at 07:42 GMT
The United States have named a largely home-based 19-man squad for next week's friendly against Germany, with coach Bruce Arena unable to select a majority of the side's European-based players. Clint Dempsey is dropped after a training-ground bust-up with
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Announcing the squad on Wednesday, Arena selected 12 players from Major League Soccer clubs for the first of five remaining fixtures the Americans are scheduled to play before the World Cup.
Next Wednesday's match against the World Cup hosts in Dortmund does not fall on a designated international fixture date, leaving Arena without many of his European-based players, with clubs reluctant to release regular U.S. squad members.
However, Arena has been able to call up goalkeeper Kasey Keller and defenders Gregg Berhalter and Steve Cherundolo, as they all play in the Bundesliga and the German federation reached an agreement with clubs to release players for internationals.
The Germans will field a full-strength side.
"We look forward to the game versus Germany," Arena told reporters.
"The German team will be prepared to play their best against us and this will be an incredible challenge for our players."
Under Arena, the U.S. have beaten Germany twice in four encounters, while losing the other two, including a 1-0 setback in the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup.
"Although we'll be playing with a less than full roster, this game will provide an outstanding opportunity for some of our players to show they deserve strong consideration for the World Cup." Arena added.
"As a coach, you can't ask for more."
One glaring omission from the squad is Clint Dempsey, scorer of the winning goal in a 1-0 victory over Poland last month, after the midfielder was involved in a training ground punch-up with New England Revolution team mate Joey Franchino on Monday.
America's final four warm-up matches before the World Cup are against Jamaica (April 11), Morocco (May 23), Venezuela (May 26) and Latvia (May 28).
At the World Cup, the U.S. have been drawn in Group E against the Czech Republic, Italy and Ghana.
Squad :
Goalkeepers: Marcus Hahnemann, Kasey Keller
Defenders: Gregg Berhalter, Steve Cherundolo, Jimmy Conrad, Cory Gibbs, Frankie Hejduk, Heath Pearce, Eddie Pope
Midfielders: Bobby Convey, Landon Donovan, Chris Klein, Pablo Mastroeni, Ben Olsen, Kerry Zavagnin
Forwards: Brian Ching, Eddie Johnson, Taylor Twellman, Josh Wolff.
WC draw round-up
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