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Global Feb 05, 2016

USMNT set to face Canada in friendly tonight in Carson, Calif.

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CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Men’s National Team closes out the annual January camp Friday, Feb. 5 when it faces Canada at StubHub Center, Carson, Calif. The match kicks off at 7:15 p.m. PT and will be broadcast live on FS1, UniMas and UDN.

The match is the second of the year for the USA, which opened the campaign on Sunday, Jan. 31 with a 3-2 win against Iceland in a match that was also played at StubHub Center. Four players made their MNT debuts as the USA used a 90th minute goal by defender Steve Birnbaum to secure the win after twice coming from behind.

The mixed 24-man roster consists of Senior Team and U-23 MNT players who are preparing for a pair of key home-and-home series in March. The MNT will face Guatemala in the semifinal round of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying, while the U-23 MNT will play Colombia in a playoff series for the final berth in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil.

The USA has an all-time record of 13-8-11 against Canada and carries a 16-game undefeated streak against its northern neighbor intoFriday’s match. The last time the teams met on the senior level was Jan. 29, 2013, when they played to a scoreless draw at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Tex.

The MNT carries a 16-game overall undefeated streak against Canada into Friday’s match (8-0-8), as well as a 17-game home unbeaten run (8-0-9) against Canada, which dates back to the 1950’s. The MNT is 10-1-9 all-time against Canada in matches played in the USA and has not lost on American soil since July 6, 1957, when it fell 2-3 in St. Louis, Mo.

The game will have special significance for the U-23s, as the team’s met in the third-place of match of the 2015 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship to determine which team would face Colombia for the final spot in the Olympic Games in Rio. An 84th minute penalty from Jerome Kiesewetter sealed the 2-0 shutout for the United States.

The MNT is now 10-2-2 all-time at StubHub Center, outscoring its opponents 34-11.

MNT’S 24-MAN ROSTER : With the release of defenders Brad Evans and Michael Orozco back to the clubs following the Iceland match, USA head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has a 24-man roster available for the friendly against Canada. Four players made their MNT debuts against Iceland, leaving six players in camp still looking for their first cap. A total of nine players are eligible for the U-23 MNT that will look to secure a spot in the Summer Olympics.

U.S. Roster by Position:

GOALKEEPERS (3): David Bingham (San Jose Earthquakes), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Luis Robles (New York Red Bulls)

DEFENDERS (7): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), Eric Miller (Montreal Impact), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire), Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire)

MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Jermaine Jones (Unattached), Perry Kitchen (Unattached), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution), Tony Tchani (Columbus Crew SC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)

FORWARDS (6): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew SC), Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Khiry Shelton (New York City FC), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)

USA NOTES:

  • Following the win against Iceland, defenders Brad Evans and Michael Orozco were released back to their clubs. Orozco scored the second goal for the USA, which tied the match at 2-2.
  • Kellyn Acosta, Ethan Finlay, Jerome Kieswetter and Tony Tchani all made their MNT debuts against Iceland.
  • Jozy Altidore’s goal against Iceland gave him 32 for his international career and pushed him within two strikes of tying Eric Wynalda (34) for third on the MNT’s all-time scoring list.
  • Steve Birnbaum registered his first international assist and first goal for the USA in just his second match for his country against Iceland.
  • With two assists against Iceland, Michael Bradley is now third on the MNT’s all-time assist list with 20. The USA captain and Budweiser Man of the Match passed former team captain Claudio Reyna, who had 19 in 13 years with the team.
  • Lee Nguyen made his first career start for the MNT against Iceland after appearing off the bench in his first seven caps, dating back to his debut on July 12, 2007.
  • Luis Robles made his first appearance for the USA since July 11, 2009.
  • David Bingham, Eric Miller, Mix Diskerud, Wil Trapp and Perry Kitchen were unused substitutes. Sean Johnson, Tim Parker, Matt Polster, Khiry Shelton and Brandon Vincent did not dress.
  • With the win on Sunday, Jurgen Klinsmann moved past Bob Bradley into second on the MNT’s all-time coaching wins list with 44; he is now behind only Bruce Arena (71).
  • The USA lineup against Iceland: USA: 12-Luis Robles; 3-Brad Evans (15-Steve Birnbaum, 46), 19-Michael Orozco, 5-Matt Besler, 14-Kellyn Acosta; 4-Michael Bradley (capt.), 13-Jermaine Jones (25-Tony Tchani, 71), 7-Ethan Finlay (6-Darlington Nagbe, 61), 16-Lee Nguyen; 9-Gyasi Zardes (18-Jerome Kiesewetter, 75), 17-Jozy Altidore (8-Jordan Morris, 75)

USA-CANADA CONNECTIONS:

  • Only Jozy Altidore, Matt Besler, Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones have played against Canada. Bradley has faced Canada three times (June 21, 2007; June 7, 2011; June 3, 2012), Jones and Altidore twice (June 7, 2011; June 3, 2012), and Besler once (Jan. 29, 2013).
  • Altidore is the only player to score against Canada, tallying the second USA goal in a 2-0 win on June 7, 2011, in the Gold Cup group stage in Detroit, Mich.
  • The USA has played Canada to two scoreless draws under head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
  • Ethan Finlay’s father, Brent, was born in Canada.
  • Four USA players play on Canadian clubs in MLS: Altidore and Bradley (Toronto), Eric Miller (Montreal) and Tim Parker (Vancouver).
  • The U-23 sides met in October 2015 in the 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship. The USA defeated Canada 3-1 in the group stage on Oct. 1 and then won 2-0 in the third place match on Oct. 13.
  • Jerome Kieswetter, Jordan Morris, Matt Polster, and Wil Trapp started both games against Canada in Olympic Qualifying , with Morris scoring twice in the group stage and Kiesewetter adding an insurance penalty kick in the third place match.

TEAMMATES AND OPPONENTS: With 21 players on the USA roster and 11 on Canada’s plying their trade in Major League Soccer, there are six MLS clubs who feature teammates playing on opposite sides on Friday:

  • FC Dallas – Kellyn Acosta (USA) and Tesho Akindele (CAN)
  • Montreal Impact – Eric Miller (USA) and Maxime Crépeau (CAN), Wandrille Lefèvre (CAN), Kyle Bekker
  • New York Red Bulls – Luis Robles (USA) and Karl W. Ouimette (CAN)
  • Sporting KC – Matt Besler (USA) and Marcel De Jong (CAN)
  • Toronto FC – Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley (USA) and Will Johnson (CAN)
  • Vancouver Whitecaps – Tim Parker (USA) and Marco Bustos (CAN), Kianz Froese (CAN)

CANADA ROSTER BY POSITION:

GOALKEEPERS (3): 1- Maxime Crépeau (Impact Montréal, MLS), 18- Tyson Farago (FC Edmonton, NASL), 22- Callum Irving (University of Kentucky).

DEFENDERS (8): 2-Nik Ledgerwood (FC Edmonton, NASL), 3-Samuel Adekugbe (Vancouver Whitecaps FC, MLS), 4-Doneil Henry (West Ham United, ENG), 5-Adam Straith (Fredrikstad FK, NOR), 12-Wandrille Lefèvre (Impact Montréal, MLS), 15-Steven Vitória (Benfica, POR), 20-Karl W. Ouimette (New York Red Bulls, MLS), 21-Mallan Roberts (FC Edmonton, NASL)

MIDFIELDERS (9): 6- M- Julian de Guzman (Ottawa Fury FC, NASL), 7-Iain Hume (Unattached), 8-Will Johnson (Toronto FC, MLS), 10-Kyle Bekker (Impact Montréal, MLS), 11-Issey Nakajima-Farran (Terengganu FA, MAS), 13-Jamar Dixon (FF Jaro, FIN), 14-Marco Bustos (Vancouver Whitecaps FC, MLS), 16-Kianz Froese (Vancouver Whitecaps FC, MLS), 17-Marcel De Jong (Sporting Kansas City, MLS).

FORWARD (3): 23-Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas, MLS), 19-Caleb Clarke (Unattached), 9-Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC, MLS).

Head coach: Benito Floro

CANADA NOTES:

  • Canada is led by head coach Benito Floro from Spain, who was hired on July 5, 2013.
  • The team, which has been training in San Diego, is also preparing two 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers in March. They’ll face Mexico in Vancouver on Friday, March 25 and travel south for the away leg in Mexico on March 29.
  • Canada posted a record of 6-2-6 in 2015, scoring 18 goals while conceding just six. The 14 matches were the team’s most in a calendar year since 2000.
  • The 23-man roster for the team’s first game of 2016 includes 11 players who play in MLS, four who play in the NASL, two who are unattached, one each from leagues in England, Finland, Norway, Portugal and Malaysia as well as one collegiate player.
  • Four players are looking to make the Canadian MNT debuts: Goalkeepers Tyson Farago and Callum Irving, centerback Steven Vitória, and midfielder Jamar Dixon.
  • The most capped player in camp is Julian de Guzman with 85.
  • de Guzman (2008) and Will Johnson (2013) are former Canadian Players of the Year.
  • The squad also features the last two MLS Rookies of the Year. Tesho Akindele (FC Dallas), won the honors in 2014 while Cyle Larin (Orlando City SC) ran away with the award in 2015 after scoring 17 goals in his first professional season.
  • The two youngest players on the roster are Kianz Froese and Marco Bustos (both Vancouver Whitecaps FC), who made their international debuts in 2015.
  • Kyle Becker, Nik Ledgerwood and Doniel Henry are the only players on the roster who played against the USA in the last meeting on January 29, 2013.
  • Maxime Crepeau and Caleb Clarke both started and went the full 90 in the last meeting between the U-23 MNTs.

LAST MEETING – SENIOR TEAMS

Match: USA vs. Canada
Date: Jan. 29, 2013
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, Texas
Kickoff: 8 p.m. CT
Attendance: 11,737
Weather: 75 degrees, rainy

Scoring Summary:

None

USA: 12-Sean Johnson; 3-Tony Beltran (21-Benny Feilhaber, 46), 5-Omar Gonzalez, 4-Matt Besler, 2-Justin Morrow; 6-Kyle Beckerman (capt.) (14-Alfredo Morales, 74), 7-Graham Zusi (18-Juan Agudelo, 64), 11-Brad Davis (17-Alejandro Bedoya, 64), 8-Brad Evans; 10-Chris Wondolowski (19-Joshua Gatt, 46), 9-Eddie Johnson (23-Will Bruin, 74)
Subs not used: 1-Bill Hamid
Head Coach: Jurgen Klinsmann

CAN: 22-Simon Thomas; 2-Nik Ledgerwood, 3-Ashtone Morgan, 4-Nana Attakora (13-Doneil Henry, 64), 5-Dejan Jakovic; 7-Terry Dunfield (16-Matthew Stinson, 51), 8-Kyle Bekker (17-Kyle Porter, 90), 9-Tosaint Rickets, 11-Russell Teibert (19-Evan James, 89); 12-Jonathan Beaulieu-Bourgault, 14-Dwayne De Rosario (capt.) (10-Frank Jonke, 81)
Subs not used: 6-Philippe Davies, 15-Emmanuel Gomez, 18-Roberto Stillo, 20-Mason Trafford, 21-Andres Fresenga
Head coach: Colin Miller

LAST MEETING – U-23 TEAMS

Match: U.S. U-23 MNT vs. Canada
Date: Oct. 13, 2015
Competition: 2015 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship – Third Place
Venue: Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, Utha
Kickoff: 5 p.m. CT
Attendance: 3,827
Weather: 74 degrees; Sunny

Scoring Summary:    1    2    F
USA                         0   2    2
CAN                         0   0    0

USA – Marc Pelosi                          69th minute
USA – Jerome Kiesewetter (pen)       84

Lineups:
USA: 12-Ethan Horvath; 13-Matt Polster, 3-Matt Miazga, 4-Cameron Carter-Vickers, 15-Marc Pelosi; 17-Jerome Kiesewetter (2-Boyd Okwuonu, 90+1), 14-Fatai Alashe, 6-Wil Trapp (capt.), 7-Dillon Serna (10-Luis Gil, 73); 11-Alonso Hernandez (8-Emerson Hyndman, 63), 9-Jordan Morris
Subs Not Used: 1-Zack Steffen, 5-Will Packwood, 18-Charlie Horton, 19-Maki Tall, 20-Gboly Ariyibi

Head Coach: John Hackworth

CAN: -Maxime Crepeau; 3-Giuliano Frano, 5-Lucas Gasparotto, 6-Christopher Mennella (8-Jay Chapman, 62), 9-Anthony Jackson-Hamel (16-Mo Babouli, 87), 10-Caleb Clarke, 11-Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, 13- Michael Petrasso, 14-Sam Piette (capt.), 19-Skylar Thomas, 20-Dylan Carreiro (2-Jonathan Grant, 45)
Subs Not Used: 4-Jackson Farmer, 7-Mauro Eustaquio, 12-Quillan Roberts, 15-Ben Fisk, 17-Hanson Boakai, 18-Ricky Gomes
Head Coach: Benito Floro

ROAD TO RUSSIA: The USA plays its third game of the Semifinal Round of 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualifying on March 25 against Guatemala at Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City. The team will then host Guatemala on March 29 at MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus, Ohio.

The MNT began the Road to Russia 2018 last November with a 6-1 win over St. Vincent and the Grenadines in St. Louis and picked up an important road point with a scoreless draw against Trinidad and Tobago .

The U.S. and Trinidad & Tobago are tied atop Group C in CONCACAF Qualifying with four points each. Guatemala sits in third with three points and St. Vincent and the Grenadines is last with zero. The top two teams from each Semifinal group advance to the Final Round of World Cup Qualifying, known as the Hexagonal, or “The Hex,” which begins in November 2016.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2018 WORLD CUP QUALIFYING PROCESS

ROAD TO BRAZIL: The U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team will face off with Colombia in a home-and-away playoff in March of 2016for the final berth in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. Exact dates, venues, TV and ticket information for both games will be announced in the coming weeks.

The U.S. earned its spot in the playoff after finishing third in the CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship, while Colombia earned its place after finishing in second place in the 2015 South American Youth Championship.

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