U.S. U-20 MNT Set to Travel to Egypt from June 22-30 to Continue World Cup Preparation
U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Thomas Rongen will take 18 players on a trip to Cairo, Egypt, from June 22-30 to continue preparations for the 2009 FIFA U-20 World Cup.The U.S. will play two international friendlies against Egypt on June 27 and June 29 as both teams prepare for the World Cup. Rongen’s team will also get accustomed to the travel, hotel and food in the country that will host the event from Sept. 24-Oct. 16
June 10, 2009
The U.S. will play two international friendlies against Egypt on June 27 and June 29 as both teams prepare for the World Cup. Rongen’s team will also get accustomed to the travel, hotel and food in the country that will host the event from Sept. 24-Oct. 16
Of the 18 players on the roster, 12 were part of the team that took second place at the 2009 CONCACAF U-20 Championship in Trinidad & Tobago in March. Led by goalkeeper Brian Perk, the team held four-consecutive shutouts leading into the regional final. Perk will be joined in Egypt by UCLA teammate Michael Stephens, who scored in consecutive games against Costa Rica during the team’s most recent camp in Sarasota, Fla.
Joining the U-20s for the first time are Gerardo Saavedra from Milwaukee and Gatorade National Boy’s Soccer Player of the Year Dillon Powers. Powers, along with defenders Zarek Valentin and Gale Agbossoumonde, who recently returned from the Lisbon International Tournament in Portugal where they helped the U-18 MNT to a 1-1-1 record. Matt Weit, from the Columbus Crew Juniors, will also be joining the squad as a late addition to replace Jorge Flores. Weit participated in an intrasquad scrimmage with the U-20s in Sarasota.
The U.S. has been drawn into a difficult Group C of the FIFA U-20 World Cup and will match up against Germany on Sept. 26, Cameroon on Sept. 29 and Korea Republic on Oct. 2 in the first round. All three of the USA’s group matches will be played at the brand-new Mubarak Stadium in Suez.
| Player | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Birthdate | Hometown | Club |
| Agbossoumonde, Gale | D | 6-2 | 185 | 11/17/91 | Syracuse, N.Y. | unattached |
| Cruz, Danny | M | 5-8 | 180 | 01/03/90 | Glendale, Ariz. | Houston Dynamo |
| Duka, Dilly | M | 5-9 | 160 | 09/15/89 | Montville, N.J. | Rutgers University |
| Garza, Sam | F | 5-10 | 165 | 10/17/89 | Highland Village, Texas | University of Denver |
| Johnson, Sean | GK | 6-4 | 220 | 05/31/89 | Lilburn, Ga. | University of Central Florida |
| Marosevic, Peri | F | 5-9 | 160 | 05/05/89 | Rockford, Ill. | FC Dallas |
| Maund, Aaron | D | 6-2 | 175 | 09/19/90 | Dorchester, Mass. | University of Notre Dame |
| Mayen, Gerson | M | 5-8 | 150 | 02/09/89 | Los Angeles, Calif. | Chivas USA |
| Ownby, Brian | M | 5-11 | 160 | 07/16/90 | Glen Allen, Va. | University of Virginia |
| Perk, Brian | GK | 5-11 | 180 | 07/21/89 | Rch. Santa Margarita, Calif. | UCLA |
| Powers, Dillon | M | 5-11 | 175 | 02/14/91 | Plano, Texas | Andromeda |
| Saavedra, Gerardo | M | 5-9 | 125 | 10/28/91 | Milwaukee, Wis. | Mequon SC |
| Stephens, Michael | M | 5-9 | 150 | 04/03/89 | Naperville, Ill. | UCLA |
| Taylor, Tony | F | 6-0 | 175 | 07/13/89 | Jacksonville, Fla. | Jacksonville University |
| Valentin, Zarek | D | 5-11 | 160 | 08/06/91 | Lancaster, Pa. | PA Classics |
| Wenger, Andrew | M | 6-0 | 170 | 12/25/90 | Lititz, Pa. | PA Classics |
| Weit, Matt | D | 6-0 | 170 | 09/23/90 | Columbus, Ohio | Columbus Crew Juniors |
| Williams, Sheanon | D | 5-11 | 165 | 03/17/90 | Boston, Mass. | unattached |
Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Sean Johnson (Central Florida; Lilburn, Ga.), Brian Perk (UCLA; Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (5): Gale Agbossoumonde (unattached; Syracuse, N.Y.), Aaron Maund (Notre Dame; Dorchester, Mass.), Zarek Valentin (PA Classics; Lancaster, Pa.) Matt Weit (Columbus Crew Juniors; Columbus, Ohio), Sheanon Williams (unattached; Boston, Mass.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Danny Cruz (Houston Dynamo; Glendale, Ariz.), Dilly Duka (Rutgers; Montville, N.J.), Gerson Mayen (Chivas USA; Los Angeles, Calif.), Brian Ownby (Virginia; Glen Allen, Va.), Dillon Powers (Andromeda; Plano, Texas), Gerardo Saavedra (Mequon SC; Milwaukee, Wis.), Michael Stephens (UCLA; Naperville, Ill.), Andrew Wenger (PA Classics; Lititz, Pa.)
FORWARDS (3): Sam Garza (Denver; Highland Village, Texas), Peri Marosevic (FC Dallas; Rockford, Ill.) Tony Taylor (Jacksonville; Jacksonville, Fla.)
National Team Staff
Head Coach: Thomas Rongen (Sewalls Point, Fla.)
Assistant Coach: Dave Dir (Dallas, Texas)
Goalkeeper Coach: Tim Mulqueen (Lakewood Ranch, Fla.)
Strength & Conditioning Coach Robbie Elliott (Newcastle, England)
Team Coordinator: Jon Fleishman (Long Beach, Calif.)
Equipment Coordinator: Beto Cuevas (Redondo Beach, Calif.)
Athletic Trainer: Marcus Holliday (Bradenton, Fla.)
Team Doctor Dwite Dahms (Westlake Village, Calif.)
