U.S. Futsal National Team to hold training camp in Croatia

CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – U.S. Futsal National Team head coach Keith Tozer has called 14 players to a training camp from Jan. 22 to Feb. 2. in Umag, Croatia.

The international camp kicks off the 2016 schedule for the U.S. Futsal National Team which is preparing for the 2016 CONCACAF Futsal Championship taking place in Costa Rica later this year.

“This trip to Europe is important in our overall preparation for our players and team for the upcoming qualifiers in May,” said U.S. FNT head coach Keith Tozer. “It helps me to start identifying players for our final roster and it also prepares players for competitive matches that will be extremely important to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.”

The U.S. opens the event with an unofficial game against Croatia on Sunday, Jan. 24, and follows it with games against Slovenia on Monday and Wednesday. The team will also face the France U-21 Futsal National Team on Tuesday.

Following a day off, the U.S. will face Lebanon on Friday (Jan. 29) and Sunday (Jan. 31) before finishing the camp with a game against Montenegro on Monday (Feb. 1).

U.S. Futsal National Team Roster by Position

GOALKEEPERS (2): Eric Ati (Charlotte Independence; Atlanta, Ga), Eduardo Macias (City Futsal; Dallas, Texas)
DEFENDERS (3): Nelson Santana (Ontario Fury; Santa Clara, Calif.), Jessie Zamudio (ABK; Grand Rapids, Mich.), Paul Whitener (Sporting Kansas City; Kansas City, Mo.)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Julian Escobar (NY Ecuador Futsal Club; New York, N.Y.), Diego Bobadilla (Cedar Rapids Titans; Grand Rapids, Mich.), Drew Ducker (Unattached; Detroit, Mich.), Felipe Gonzalez (Las Vegas Legends; Las Vegas, Nev.), Antonio Manfut (Syracuse Silver Knights; Cleveland, Ohio), Lucas Stauffer (Creighton University; Omaha, Neb.)

FORWARDS (3): Ricardo Lopez-Espin (Creighton University; Miami, Fla.), Alex Mendez (Davenport University; Grand Rapids, Mich.), Stephen Milhoan (Team Challenger FC; Akron, Ohio)