Klinsmann Names U.S. Team for Mexico Game

Posted August 4th, 2011 at 3:35 pm (UTC-5)
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New U.S. men's soccer team coach Juergen Klinsmann has selected a 22-player roster for next Wednesday's friendly match against visiting Mexico in Philadelphia.

This will be the former World Cup and European Championship winner's first game in charge of the Americans since being named head coach last Friday. He has decided to bring in a mix of youth and experience at each position.

The former German international has tapped veteran DaMarcus Beasley who has not played for the U.S. team since last year's World Cup in South Africa. Klinsmann has also called in Freddy Adu, the one-time phenom who performed well in the recent Gold Cup tournament after being out of the favor for awhile.

Other veterans chosen for the exhibition against arch rival Mexico are all-time leading U.S. scorer Landon Donovan, regular starting goalie Tim Howard, and captain Carlos Boncanegra.

Selected for his first national team is 20-year-old goalie Bill Hamid of Major League Soccer's DC United. Klinsmann picked four other players with two or fewer appearances with the U.S. team.

Klinsmann said one of the goals for this roster is to create competition at each position.

The Americans will be anxious for revenge against Mexico, which rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat the U.S., 4-2, in the Gold Cup final June 25 in Pasadena, California.