CARSON, Calif. (Thursday, August 29, 2013) – LA Galaxy forward Landon Donovan and defender Omar Gonzalez have been named to the U.S. National Team for the upcoming FIFA World Cup Qualifiers against Costa Rica and Mexico. The duo is two of 23 players that have been included on the National Team roster by U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. Both players are scheduled to join up with the rest of the U.S. squad in Miami on Sunday, following the Galaxy’s game on Saturday night against San Jose. The U.S. will play on the road against Costa Rica on Friday, September 6 before coming home to face Mexico in Columbus, Ohio on Tuesday, September 10.
Donovan ranks second on the Galaxy in goals and assists in MLS this season, scoring seven times and adding seven assists in 15 regular season games. Gonzalez has appeared in and started 20 of LA’s 25 games on the season, scoring once while collecting a pair of assists.
The all-time leader in goals and assists with the National Team, Donovan has made 151 appearances for the U.S., scoring 56 goals and adding 56 assists. A veteran of three World Cups, Donovan has played in just two of the 12 games that the U.S. have played in qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup, missing out on each of the last 10 dating back to June 2012. Despite having not appeared in a Qualifier in more than a year, Donovan remains the all-time leader in World Cup Qualifying appearances for the U.S. with 37. He last played for his country at the CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, scoring five goals and tallying seven assists to help the U.S. win the tournament for the first time since 2007.
Gonzalez has started all six games that the U.S. have played during the current round of World Cup Qualifying and is one of three players, along with Michael Bradley and Clint Dempsey, to have played the full 90 minutes in each of those matches. He has collected 12 caps in his international career, with 10 of those coming in 2013. He was a part of the U.S. team that won the Gold Cup last month, being added to the roster for the knockout stages of the tournament and came on as a second half substitute in the Gold Cup Final win over Panama.
As a result of their international call ups, Donovan and Gonzalez will miss LA’s home game on Saturday, September 7 when they face the Colorado Rapids at StubHub Center. Robbie Keane (Ireland) and Jaime Penedo (Panama) will also miss that game while away on international duty.
Donovan, Gonzalez and the rest of the Galaxy will be back at home on Saturday, Aug. 31 at 7:30 p.m. when they host the San Jose Earthquakes at StubHub Center. That match will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. with the first 10,000 fans to enter the stadium receiving a Robbie Keane bobblehead, courtesy of The Flame Broiler. Tickets for this game, which is presented by The Flame Broiler, are on sale now by calling 877-3GALAXY (342-5299) or visiting www.lagalaxy.com/tickets.
