CARSON, Calif. (Monday, Nov. 9, 2015) – LA Galaxy defenders Dave Romney and Oscar Sorto have been named to a 19-man roster by U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team head coach Andi Herzog for two friendlies against Brazil’s U-23 squad in Brazil. The teams will first square off on Wednesday, Nov. 11 in Recife in a match that kicks off at 3 p.m. PT, before traveling to Belém on Sunday, Nov. 15 for the second contest, which kicks off at 1:30 p.m. PT.
Sorto, 21, has been called up several times to the U.S. U-23 side under Herzog, most recently joining the team for 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying in September. Earlier this year, the defender earned his first U.S. Men’s National Team Call up by USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Sorto made three starts in MLS play this year for the Galaxy in addition to featuring for LA Galaxy II in USL play, where he helped lead Los Dos to the 2015 USL Final.
Romney, 22, earns his first-ever call up to represent the U.S National Team. Earlier this season, the defender became the first LA Galaxy II player to sign a contract with the LA Galaxy. He also made his MLS debut in 2015, making five appearances with two starts overall, in addition to gaining experience in the CONCACAF Champions League. Romney attended the University of San Francisco, where he earned multiple honors during his four-year standout career before signing his first professional contract with Los Dos in USL.
The USA is coming off a third-place finish in the 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship, a result that extended its quest for a berth in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The team will face off with Colombia in March in a home-and-away playoff in one final qualifying opportunity. Nine players that competed for the U.S. in the qualifying tournament are back for this trip, including the tournament’s Golden Ball winner, Jerome Kiesewetter.
"These matches against Brazil are a huge opportunity for us," Herzog said. "On one hand you have a strong challenging South American opponent in Brazil, with a playing style that's similar to that of Colombia, and on the other we'll get to experience playing in Brazil, which is where we hope to be next summer for the Olympics."
Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Cody Cropper (MK Dons; Maple Grove, Minn.), Charlie Horton (Leeds United; Cleveland, Ohio), Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City; Leawood, Kan.)
DEFENDERS (7): John Brooks (Hertha BSC; Berlin, Germany), Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur; Westcliff on Sea, England), Eric Miller (Montreal Impact; Woodbury, Minn.), Shane O’Neill (Royal Mouscron; Boulder, Colo.), Boyd Okwuonu (Real Salt Lake; Edmund, Okla.), Dave Romney (LA Galaxy; Irvine, Calif.), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes; Northville, Mich.), Julian Green (Bayern Munich; Tampa, Fla.), Alejandro Guido (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire; Milwaukee, Wisc.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids; Brighton, Colo.), Gedion Zelalem (Rangers; Bethesda, Md.)
FORWARDS (3): Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart; Berlin, Germany), Khiry Shelton (New York City FC; Leander, Tex.), Maki Tall (FC Sion; Washington, D.C.)
