MLS Homegrown Team vs. Chivas de Guadalajara U-20
2019 MLS Homegrown Game presented by Energizer
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex — Orlando
July 30 - 5 pm ET
TV: TUDN.com
STREAMING: Twitter
Some of the best and brightest young talent from Major League Soccer and Liga MX will be on display, when the MLS Homegrown Team meet Chivas de Guadalajara U-20s in the sixth annual MLS Homegrown Game presented by Energizer, Tuesday at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, part of a week of events during 2019 MLS All-Star Orlando.
Orlando City SC Academy director Marcelo Neveleff will serve as the head coach for the Homegrown Team, which features players from US and Canadian youth national teams against Chivas. The game is an opportunity to showcase the growth of the league’s youth development system. MLS academies have produced over 150 Homegrown Players who have signed professional contracts with MLS clubs.
Chivas de Guadalajara is renowned for its youth development and captured the 2018 Apertura Under-20 title.
MLS Homegrown Team
The 24-player MLS Homegrown Team roster features many familiar names, including several players who are regular starters for their senior squads. Included on that list are Philadelphia Union midfielder Brenden Aaronson, the Colorado Rapids duo of midfielder Cole Bassett and defender Sam Vines, New York Red Bulls forward Omir Fernandez and LA Galaxy midfielder Efrain Alvarez.
The team features five players — Real Salt Lake goalkeeper David Ochoa, Columbus Crew SC defender Aboubacar Keita, FC Dallas midfielders Edwin Cerrillo and Brandon Servania and New England Revolution forward Justin Rennicks, who competed for the United States at the U-20 World Cup in Poland last month.
Chivas de Guadalajara U-20
Chivas de Guadalajara’s Under-20 team brings an accomplished track record to the match. The club captured the Liga MX 2018 Apertura Under-20 title and features numerous players who received time with both the Chivas reserve squad and the first-team side that has captured three titles over the previous three years. The squad features defender Gilberto Sepulveda, who was on Mexico's 21-man roster at the 2019 U-20 World Cup.
Chivas opened the Clausura campaign with a 2-0 win over Santos Laguna. This is the second time Chivas has participated in the MLS Homegrown Game, previously serving as the opponent in the 2017 contest, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
MLS Homegrown Game History
After the MLS Homegrowns faced the Portland Timbers U-23s in the inaugural MLS Homegrown Game, the match has pitted some of the best young talent in MLS against their neighbors from the south.
This is the fourth match against Liga MX competition, with Club America prevailing on PKs in 2015, the MLS Homegrown Team playing Chivas de Guadalajara to a 2-2 draw in 2017 and drawing Tigres UANL, 1-1, a year ago. In 2016, Mexico’s U-20 national team defeated the MLS Homegrown Team, 2-0.
