CARSON, Calif. (Friday, Oct. 3, 2014) – LA Galaxy defender Oscar Sorto has been named to a 21-player roster for the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team’s October camp in Brasilia, U.S. Soccer announced today. The group, which is beginning its early preparations for qualification toward the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, departs for Brasilia on Thursday, Oct. 9.
The team will train from Oct. 10-12 and then face Brazil’s U-23 national team on Monday, Oct. 13, at Estádio Nacional in Brasilia. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. local (9 p.m. PT). The LA Galaxy Homegrown Player will be unavailable for selection when the Galaxy face FC Dallas on the road Oct. 12.
This marks the third time the U-23s have gotten together this year. The group met for a domestic camp in April at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center, and then most recently traveled to Nassau, Bahamas, in early August. That trip included an Aug. 6 match against the Bahamas’ full national team, with the USA earning a 5-1 victory.
This current roster includes nine players who competed in that win against the Bahamas, including Sorto, who started and played the full 90 minutes against Bahamas.
Along with Sorto, the following six U-23 players were also members of the U.S. U-20 Men’s National Team at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey: goalkeeper Cody Cropper, defenders Eric Miller and Juan Pablo Ocegueda, midfielder Benji Joya and forwards Alonso Hernandez and Mario Rodriguez.
The coaching staff for this trip, which coincides with the Men’s National Team matches against Ecuador and Honduras, will include U.S. Soccer Youth Technical Director and U-20 MNT head coach Tab Ramos, U-18 MNT head coach Javier Perez and MNT scout Matthias Hamann. Rob Vartughian is the goalkeeper coach during this trip.
Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Charlie Horton (Cardiff City; Cleveland, Ohio), Cody Cropper (Southampton; Maple Grove, Minn.)
DEFENDERS (8): Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham Hotspur; Westcliff on Sea, England), Christian Dean (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; East Palo Alto, Calif.), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Eric Miller (Montreal Impact; Woodbury, Minn.), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Alebrijes de Oaxaca; Riverside, Calif.), William Packwood (Birmingham City; Concord, Mass.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids; Brighton, Colo.), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Dennis Flores (León; Pasadena, Calif.), Marlon Hairston (Colorado Rapids; Jackson, Miss.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham; Dallas, Texas), Benji Joya (Chicago Fire; San Jose, Calif.), Esteban Rodriguez (Dorados de Sinaloa; Bell Gardens, Calif.)
FORWARDS (6): Alonso Hernandez (Monterrey; El Paso, Texas), Jordan Morris (Stanford; Mercer Island, Wash.), Sean Okoli (Seattle Sounders FC; Federal Way, Wash.), Mario Rodriguez (Borussia Mönchengladbach; North Hollywood, Calif.), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht; Beaverton, Ore.), Ben Spencer (Indy Eleven; Albuquerque, N.M.)
