by Luke James
Photo by John Hefti
All eyes might be on the MLS Cup right now but there is other soccer business in the USA. San Jose Earthquakes Forward Chris Wondolowski was among 25 players called to United States Men’s National Team duty by head coach Jurgen Klinsmann Monday morning for upcoming friendlies against Colombia and the Republic of Ireland.
The U.S. will face third-ranked Colombia at Fulham’s Craven Cottage on Friday, Nov. 14 (11:45 a.m. PT / ESPN, UniMas). More than 20,000 tickets have been sold for the match in London. The Americans will then face Ireland at Aviva Stadium on Tuesday, Nov. 18 (11:45 a.m. PT / ESPN2, Univision).
Wondolowski, 31, has nine goals in 24 caps with the U.S. He earned two caps during the 2014 World Cup, entering as a substitute against Portugal at Arena Amazonia in Manaus on June 22 and against Belgium in the Round of 16 at Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador on July 1. Prior to the World Cup, Wondolowski had nine goals in his last 10 games dating back to his first national team tally against Guatemala on July 6, 2013.
Wondo scored both of the Americans’ goals in a 2-0 win against South Korea at the StubHub Center on Feb. 1 and the second in a 2-2 draw against Mexico at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 2. In the summer of 2013, Wondolowski took home a share of the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup Golden Boot after tying USA teammate Landon Donovan and Panama’s Gabriel Torres with five goals during the month-long tournament.
In a footnote to Wondo’s European USMNT call up, San Jose Earthquakes forward Tommy Thompson was among 20 players called to United States U-20 Men’s National Team duty by head coach Tab Ramos on Friday as the squad prepares to compete in a U-21 tournament in Spain.
USMNT Roster
Goalkeepers (4): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders (9): DaMarcus Beasley (Houston Dynamo), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
Forwards (6): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)