ussoccer.com
CHICAGO, Ill. --- Former University of Portland standouts Steve Cherundolo, Heath Pearce and Luis Robles have been named to the U.S. National Team’s 23-man roster that will compete at the at the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup from July 3 to July 26, 2009. Both Pearce and Robles were with the U.S. National Team in South Africa where the Americans finished second at 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, which concluded on June 28. Cherundolo, who is working his way back from a hip injury, leads the current national team roster with 51 international appearances.
The 23-man roster averages just eight caps against the 27-cap average for the 2009 Confederations Cup roster as Bradley let most of the regular national team players either return to their clubs or have a brief break before starting training camp for the 2009-10 season.
The opening game for the U.S. is against Grenada on July 4 at 6:00 p.m. (PT) at Qwest Field in Seattle. The team then crosses the country to face Honduras on July 8 at 6:00 p.m. (PT) at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., before rounding out group play against Haiti on July 11 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., with kickoff slated for 4:00 p.m. (PT). All of the U.S. matches in the CONCACAF Gold Cup will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and the Univision networks, with all three group games airing on TeleFutura.
Cherundolo (1997-98), who hasn’t made an appearance for the U.S. side since Oct. 11, 2008, will look to bookend the back line with Pearce (2002-04). That duo started eight matches in 2008 for the U.S. at right and left back, respectively, including five World Cup qualifiers and marquee friendlies against Poland, England, Spain and Argentina.
Robles (2003-06), who plays with Kaiserslautern of the Bundesliga, has been training with the national team since May 26 and is looking to make his first international appearance. He is one of three goalkeepers on the roster.
The U.S. is seeking to become the second team to win three consecutive Gold Cups, having claimed the crown in 2005 and 2007. Mexico won three consecutive titles from 1993 to 1998 and also won in 2003. The United States has won four times since the tournament began in 1991, including three of the last four events. The U.S. has never lost a match in group play, holding a 21-0-1 lifetime record.
