Yedlin Selected for U-20 World Cup Finals

Sounders FC right back DeAndre Yedlin is among the 21 players selected to play for the USA in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey from June 21-July 13.

The Seattle club can now boast that it provides two right backs to the national cause following Brad Evans well received performance in that role in a recent friendly against Germany.

Other MLS stars from the Western Conference include Rapids Shane O’Neill, LA’s Jose Villarreal and Oscar Sorto, Kelly Acosta of FC Dallas and Luis Gil of RSL.

Gil’s General Manager at Salt Lake Garth Lagerwey commented:

“We’re extremely proud of Luis for being named to the U.S. U-20 World Cup roster. His inclusion is a testament to all of his hard work and dedication over the last four years and also to the commitment to his development shown by our coaching staff.

We are beaming with pride at Luis’s inclusion in this team and wish him well on what will be the biggest stage of his career thus far. He has our unconditional support and all of Salt Lake City will be rooting for him.”

Gil has appeared in 14 of the club’s 15 regular season matches, starting 13. He has scored two goals and one assist. He  will miss a minimum of three of RSL’s MLS matches and at least one of the club’s Open Cup games while with the U-20’s.

Colorado Rapids President Tim Hinchey congratulated his charge on behalf of the club:

“It is a great accomplishment for Shane to make the U.S. U-20’s for the World Cup, and everyone at the Rapids is proud of his achievement.”

SC Freiburg defender Caleb Stanko will captain the USA in Turkey where they will play Spain, France and Ghana.

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US Soccer Release:

U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos has named the 21-player roster that will represent the USA at the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey from June 21-July 13.

The group is a familiar one during the World Cup qualifying process with 17 of the 21 helping lead the U-20 MNT to a runner-up finish at the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship earlier this year.

“We’re very happy about the group we selected,” said head coach Tab Ramos.

“Obviously it’s always difficult. Wednesday night we were up till late selecting the final couple players. It’s always hard to let a player go who’s worked so hard to get here, and we know that we have 35 players who are deserving of going to the World Cup.”

Roster by Position – Detailed Roster

GOALKEEPERS (3) : 1-Cody Cropper (Southampton FC; Maple Grove, Minn.), 12-Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara; Santa Rosa, Calif.), 21-Zach Steffen (FC DELCO; Downington, Pa.)

DEFENDERS (7) : 13-Eric Miller (Creighton; Woodbury, Minn.), 3-Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Guadalajara; Riverside, Calif.), 5-Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids; Boulder, Colo.), 18-Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), 4-Caleb Stanko (SC Freiburg; Holly, Mich.), 14-Javan Torre (UCLA; Santa Monica, Calif.), 2-DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.)

MIDFIELDERS (5) : 16-Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), 10-Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), 8-Benji Joya (Santos Laguna; San Jose, Calif.), 15-Mikey Lopez (Sporting Kansas City; Mission, Texas), 6-Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew; Gahanna, Ohio)

FORWARDS (6) : 20-Daniel Cuevas (Santos Laguna; Sacramento, Calif.), 17-Danny Garcia (North Carolina; Dallas, Texas), 7-Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bolingbrook, Ill.), 19-Alonso Hernandez (C.F. Monterrey; El Paso, Texas), 9-Mario Rodriguez (1. FC Kaiserslautern; North Hollywood, Calif.), 11-Jose Villarreal (LA Galaxy; Inglewood, Calif.)

The U.S. is coming off a four-game stretch at the Under-21 Toulon Tournament in France, where Ramos and his staff utilized the event to evaluate and finalize the U-20 World Cup roster. Sixteen of the players on the USA’s 22-player Toulon Tournament roster are part of the World Cup. The five who were not with the team in France include Philadelphia Union Academy goalkeeper Zach Steffen, Seattle Sounders defender DeAndre Yedlin, midfielder Luis Gil of Real Salt Lake, and forwards Mario Rodriguez of 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Jose Villarreal of the LA Galaxy.

As was his role in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship and previous tournaments, SC Freiburg defender Caleb Stanko will serve as the team captain in Turkey. Two newcomers to the U-20 MNT were brought in for the Toulon Tournament – FC Dallas midfielder Kellyn Acosta and Monterrey forward Alonso Hernandez, having both performed well at the event.

The U-20 MNT was drawn into a difficult group for the FIFA U-20 World Cup. The U.S. opens Group A play against Spain on Friday, June 21, at Ali Sami Yen Arena in Istanbul. The match will be broadcast at 1:45 p.m. ET, live on ESPN2 and WatchESPN. That is followed by a June 24 game against France in Istanbul, live on ESPN2 and WatchESPN at 10:45 a.m. ET. The U.S. closes out group play with a June 27 match against Ghana at Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri, Turkey, at 12:45 p.m. ET, live on ESPNU and