Eight Major League Soccer players and two players from MLS academy systems were among 21 players named to head coach Tab Ramos' US U-20 national team roster for the upcoming Dallas Cup, U.S. Soccer announced on Wednesday.
Competing in the Dallas Cup's Gordon Jago Super Group, the US will face River Plate (Argentina) on Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany) on Monday and Tigres UANL (Mexico) on Wednesday in group play.
Both the New York Red Bulls and Real Salt Lake had two players named to the squad. For New York, goalkeeper Santiago Castaño and defender Matt Miazga both received callups, while RSL's Jordan Allen and Benji Lopez were named to the squad. Miazga and Allen have both seen MLS action this season, and Miazga could end up staying with the Red Bulls at least through this weekend due to New York's injury-ridden back line.
Other MLS players include FC Dallas defender Kellyn Acosta and Chivas USA midfielder Marky Delgado, who have both seen first-team minutes this year, the Philadelphia Union's Zach Pfeffer and Sporting Kansas City youngster Erik Palmer-Brown, making his first appearance with the U-20s and the youngest player in the roster as the only 1997 birthday.
Two University of Maryland standouts on MLS teams' Homegrown Player lists – goalkeeper Zack Steffen (Philadelphia) and defender Suliaman Dainkeh (D.C. United) – were also named to the roster.
US U-20 Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Santiago Castaño (New York Red Bulls; Union City, N.J.), Zack Steffen (Maryland; Philadelphia Union Academy; Downington, Pa.)
DEFENDERS (9): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake; Rochester, N.Y.), Michael Amick (UCLA; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Suliaman Dainkeh (Maryland; D.C. United Academy; Reston, Va.), Trevor Haberkorn (Furman; Roanoke, Texas), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Shaquell Moore (Unattached; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), John Requejo Jr. (Real So Cal; Carpinteria, Calif.), Jesus Vazquez (Tigres UANL; San Luis Obispo, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Marky Delgado (Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Luis Felipe (Cruzeiro; Ouro Branco, Brazil), Romain Gall (FC Lorient; Herndon, Va.), Lynden Gooch (Sunderland; Santa Cruz, Calif.)
FORWARDS (5): Benji Lopez (Real Salt Lake; San Diego), Amando Moreno (Club Tijuana; Morganville, N.J.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Rubio Rubin (Unattached; Beaverton, Ore.), Ben Spencer (Indy Eleven; Albuquerque, N.M.)
