USA vs. Mexico - Under-23 Friendly
Wednesday, April 22, 2015, 11 pm ET
StubHub Center; Carson, California
Watch on UniMás, UDN
With qualifying for the 2016 Summer Olympics set for October 2015, the Under-23 national teams representing the US and Mexico will meet in an early friendly to get a look at some of the players who might figure in both squads.
While the teams will not be at full strength as they were in their last meeting, in Feb. 2012, it is an important chance for players to make a case to be included on future rosters and for each side to get one up on their closest rivals.
PREMATCH CONTENT
- Long history of US-Mexico rivalry at the U-23 level
- US roster includes Dos a Cero hero Jordan Morris, 12 with MLS ties
- Mexico name 20-player roster for friendly
HISTORY
The US lead the series 5-2 since the Olympics were reclassified as an Under-23 tournament prior to 1992, including a 2-0 win in Frisco, Texas, on Feb. 29, 2012 in a friendly prior to the last qualification cycle.
Of course, the US failed to qualify, and Mexico went on to win Olympic gold in London.
In this age group (primarily 1993-94 birthdays), the US and Mexico met in the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, with Mexico winning 3-1 in extra time in Puebla, Mexico. The US roster for that match included eight players in the current camp, while the Mexico roster has five players from that game.
The teams did not meet in qualifying for the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup because Mexico qualified automatically as hosts and went on to win the tournament, with the US losing in the Round of 16 to eventual third-place finishers Germany.
ROSTERS
USA
GOALKEEPERS (2): Cody Cropper (Southampton), Jon Kempin (San Antonio Scorpions on loan from Sporting Kansas City)
DEFENDERS (8): Christian Dean (Vancouver Whitecaps), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Oaxaca), Boyd Okwuonu (Real Salt Lake), Shane O'Neill (Colorado Rapids), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy), Sam Strong (UCSB), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Guido (Tijuana), Benji Joya (Santos Laguna), Dan Metzger (New York Red Bulls II)
FORWARDS (5): Alonso Hernandez (Monterrey), Alfred Koroma Shams (Austin Aztex), Jordan Morris (Stanford, Seattle Sounders academy), Mario Rodriguez (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy)
MEXICO
GOALKEEPERS (2): Luis Cárdenas (Monterrey), Gibran Lajud (Tijuana on loan from Cruz Azul)
DEFENDERS (6): Gil Burón (Querétaro), Jorge Caballero (Monterrey), Fabián Guzmán (Atlas Guadalajara), Bernardo Hernández (Monterrey), Luis Solorio (Coras Tepic on loan from Chivas Guadalajara), Pedro Terán (Atlas Guadalajara)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Carlos Cisneros (Coras Tepic on loan from Chivas Guadalajara), Rosario Cota (Cruz Azul), Kevin Escamilla (Pumas UNAM), Jonathan Espericueta (Tigres UANL), Daniel Hernández (Atlas Guadalajara), Pedro Hernández (Tijuana), Michael Pérez (Coras Tepic on loan from Chivas Guadalajara)
FORWARDS (5): Marco Bueno (Toluca), Ángel Zaldívar (Coras Tepic on loan from Chivas Guadalajara), José Alberto García (Tijuana), Ulises Jaimes (Monarcas Morelia), Uvaldo Luna (Tigres UANL)
