By BRIAN LEWIS
National Team head coach Bob Bradley has named his 23-man roster that will train for the World Cup qualifier vs. Cuba Oct. 11 in D.C., and it’s a bevy of young talent that many U.S. fans have been begging for.
Midfielder Michael Bradley and Heath Pearce are the only two players to start all five qualifiers, but fans will be happy to see Jozy Altidore and Freddy Adu playing for the U.S. for the first time since the Olympics. But the bigger surprises are Mexican-based Yanks Michael Orozco and 20-year-old Jose Francisco Torres.
Orozco is one of three uncapped players on the roster, but the San Luis defender had already thrown his hat in with the U.S., playing in the Olympics. But Torres _ a talented Texan who has been in Mexico since he was 16 and is getting regular playing time for Pachuca _ is making his first appearance in a U.S. national team camp.
He’d turned down an U.S. Olympic invite, but has kept the door open toward playing for either country, the one he plays in or the one he was born in, the one his parents are from or the one he’s from. Now the 5-foot-5, 135-pound midfielder _ who has a goal and two assists in 18 games this year _ has stepped through and cast his lot with the U.S.
Here is the full roster: GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 6/5 SO), Troy Perkins (Valerenga IF: 0/0)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 16/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 17/0), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC: 1/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 13/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 11/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 5/0)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Freddy Adu (AS Monaco: 1/0), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 19/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 5/2), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 3/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 3/0), Danny Szetela (Brescia Calcio: 0/0), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca: 0/0)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Villarreal C.F.: 0/0), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 9/4), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF: 0/0) Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 11/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 24/8)
*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals