American Roster Set For Qualifier at RFK
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Saturday, October 4, 2008; Page E02
Freddy Adu and Troy Perkins are returning to RFK Stadium as members of the U.S. national team.
The former D.C. United players were named to the 23-man roster yesterday for the World Cup qualifier Oct. 11 against Cuba. Training camp opens Monday at RFK.
Eighteen players will be in uniform for the match, the fourth of six for the U.S. team (3-0) in the semifinal stage of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. A U.S. victory over Cuba (0-3) would clinch a berth in next year's final round.
Adu, 19, has made nine appearances for the national team but has found it difficult to secure a regular spot because of his lack of playing time in Europe. He played three seasons for United and one with Real Salt Lake before joining Benfica in Portugal last year and moving to Monaco in the French league this summer.
Perkins, 27, starts for Valerenga in Norway after playing four seasons with United. He has never appeared in a national team game and is regarded as No. 3 on the depth chart for the Cuba match behind England-based Tim Howard and Brad Guzan, but if the Americans clinch, he might play four days later at Trinidad and Tobago.
Former Maryland Terrapins Danny Califf and Maurice Edu, as well as Olney native Oguchi Onyewu, also were named. But the most intriguing selection was Jose Francisco Torres, a 20-year-old midfielder raised in Longview, Tex., who has spent the last five years with Mexican power Pachuca and, because of his family background, was eligible for both countries.
"I was born in the U.S. and my dream was always to play for the U.S. national team," Torres said in an interview Thursday night. "It was a hard decision, but I made the right choice."
The U.S. team would like to integrate him into the system right away to ensure that he does not change his mind and commit to arch-rival Mexico. Torres is a left-footed player who is comfortable in central midfield and on the wing.
Only four MLS players were selected, in large part because teams are in the final stretch of the regular season and, unlike much of the soccer world, the league has games scheduled next weekend.
