USMNT World Cup Qualifying Stats

Overall Stats

Goals/Assists

Jozy Altidore - 3 goals, 1 assist
Geoff Cameron - 2 goals
Gyasi Zardes - 1 goal, 2 assists
Clint Dempsey - 1 goal, 1 assist
Bobby Wood - 1 goal, 1 assist
Fabian Johnson - 1 goal
Graham Zusi - 1 goal
Michael Bradley - 1 assist
Jermaine Jones - 1 assist
DeAndre Yedlin - 1 assist


Goalkeeping

Brad Guzan - 2 starts (2-0-0), 180 mins, 3 saves, 1 goal allowed, 1 shutout
Tim Howard - 2 starts (0-1-1), 180 mins, 4 saves, 2 goals allowed, 1 shutout


Discipline

Michael Bradley - 2 yellow cards
Jermaine Jones - 1 yellow card
DeAndre Yedlin - 1 yellow card


Appearances (26 total)

Michael Bradley - 4 starts
Geoff Cameron - 4 starts
DeAndre Yedlin - 4 starts
Bobby Wood - 3 starts, 1 sub
Gyasi Zardes - 3 starts, 1 sub
Jozy Altidore - 2 starts, 2 sub
Matt Besler - 2 starts
Edgar Castillo - 2 starts
Clint Dempsey - 2 starts
Brad Guzan - 2 starts
Tim Howard - 2 starts
Fabian Johnson - 2 starts
Jermaine Jones - 2 starts
Michael Orozco - 2 starts
Tim Ream - 2 starts
Kyle Beckerman - 1 start
Alejandro Bedoya - 1 start
Steve Birnbaum - 1 start
Mix Diskerud - 1 start
Omar Gonzalez - 1 start
Graham Zusi - 1 start
Darlington Nagbe - 3 sub
Ethan Finlay - 1 sub
Matt Miazga - 1 sub
Jordan Morris - 1 sub
Christian Pulisic - 1 sub


Here's a quick rundown of how the current USMNT MLS contingent has fared through four World Cup Qualifiers:


vs Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, W 6-1

CB - Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City) - 90 mins, 2 shots
CM - Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids) - 90 mins, 2 shots, 1 assist
CM - Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) - 90 mins, 3 shots
RM - Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) - 90 mins, 4 shots, 1 goal
LFWD - Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) - 90 mins, 2 shots, 2 goals, 1 assist
SUB - Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) - 26 mins, 1 shot
SUB - Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders) - 22 mins


at Trinidad and Tobago, D 0-0

GK - Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids) - 90 mins, 3 saves
CB - Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City) - 90 mins, 1 shot
CM - Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids) - 90 mins, 1 shot, yellow card
CM - Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) - 90 mins, 1 shot
LFWD - Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) - 90 mins, 1 shot
RFWD - Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) - 75 mins, 3 shots
SUB - Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) - 22 mins, 1 shot


at Guatemala, L 2-0

GK - Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids) - 90 mins, 1 save, 2 goals allowed
CM - Mix Diskerud (New York City FC) - 45 mins
CM - Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) - 90 mins, 2 shots, yellow card
RFWD - Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders) - 90 mins, 4 shots
SUB - Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers) - 45 mins
SUB - Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) - 31 mins
SUB - Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) - 24 mins, 1 shot


vs Guatemala, W 4-0

CB - Steve Birnbaum (DC United) - 90 mins
DCM - Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake) - 90 mins
ACM - Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City) - 81 mins, 2 shots, 1 goal
ACM - Michael Bradley (Toronto FC) - 90 mins, 2 shots, 1 assist, yellow card
RW - Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy) - 71 mins, 2 assists
CFWD - Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders) - 90 mins, 3 shots, 1 goal, 1 assist
SUB - Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) - 24 mins, 1 shot, 1 goal
SUB - Ethan Finlay (Columbus Crew) - 19 mins

U.S. - Guatemala, Part 2 Reaction

Where was this on Friday? I couldn't help but watch this match, which was NEVER in doubt, and wonder how in the world did we lose to this team just days ago? And not just lose, but lose BADLY. For all the criticism that Jurgen Klinsmann has received about inconsistent/questionable lineups and formations, he deserves the credit for getting this one right in a must-win contest. Opting to go with an attack-minded lineup put the pressure on Guatemala early and often, and resulted in a resounding blowout win. The question now is where does the U.S. go from here? Do we continue to play attack-minded soccer (the thing Klinsmann promised us when he took the U.S. job) or will the master tinkerer shift tactics yet again? Here's the changes/"improvements" I'd make going forward:

Left Back - I thought Edgar Castillo was passable against the Guatemalans, but I still like Jorge Villafaña and I think he deserves a shot. If nothing else, I'd at least like to see Villafaña get an invite to camp so we have more than one left back on the roster. I think that putting ourselves in a position where Fabian Johnson is our left back - or even our backup left back - is doing ourselves a disservice.

Center Back - If John Brooks is playing as well as everyone says he is, then he should probably supplant Steve Birnbaum in the Starting XI. I don't have any issues with Birnbaum's performance, and I love what he brings on set pieces, but we need to find a way to get our best players on the field. One thing that came up during the broadcast, and that I actually agree with is that we should probably consider moving Geoff Cameron into the role currently filled by Kyle Beckerman. Beckerman isn't going to be around forever, and with no clear replacement in the pipeline, it's probably worth giving Cameron, a player who can play and has played that position, a look. This way you could also potentially start Brooks and Birnbaum together with Cameron in front of them.

Right Wing - Gyasi Zardes got his name on the scoresheet last night, but he's likely the odd man out in this formation with the return of Jozy Altidore and Fabian Johnson. The question becomes whether Dempsey, who played an inspired match last night, gets the nod over Bobby Wood moving forward. Personally, I don't see Dempsey sticking around for another World Cup, so I think there's value in starting Altidore up top with Wood on the right wing and Fabian Johnson over on the left, just to see if the group has good chemistry together. As so many analysts and soccer pundits have said in recent days, it's all about building effective partnerships.

Attacking Midfielder - Graham Zusi was terrific in the attacking midfield role alongside Michael Bradley, so I think you have to figure he's in the mix moving forward. The question is, who would you start alongside him with Bradley suspended for the next qualifier due to yellow card accumulation? Fortunately the U.S. has options in Darlington Nagbe, Mix Diskerud and Lee Nguyen, so I'd expect Klinsmann to ride the hot hand.

Some quick final thoughts:

1) It was nice to see Christian Pulisic make his USMNT at the age of 17. Still, I think he's got some room to grow physically before becoming a regular member of the squad. It's not to say that he looked out of place, but he wasn't winning any physical challenges, something he'd be expected to do in the tough CONCACAF region.

2) I'm a little surprised that we opted to bring on Jozy Altidore in a 3-0 game when his fitness is questionable. Yes, he scored which was great, but I don't know what the benefit of making that move was in a blowout, especially when we had other options. Bringing on Ethan Finlay made sense because the game was at his home stadium. Bringing on the aforementioned Pulisic made sense because it CAP-ties him to the U.S. But why Altidore instead of, say, Darlington Nagbe? Or Lee Nguyen? Or Mix Diskerud? It just seemed like a risky move to me.

3) Poor Ethan Finlay. He scores his first international goal in front of his home crowd and has it called back (wrongfully) due to an offsides call. On a positive note, Finlay, once again appears well suited to that substitute sparkplug role on the wing. This is two matches in a row for him where he's had an immediate impact.

4) Brad Guzan should be the U.S. keeper moving forward. Tim Howard has had a legendary career, but until he starts coming up big in MLS with the Rapids this summer, he isn't earning his spot on the field in the world of what have you done for me lately.

5) Pretty solid effort by the U.S.'s MLS contingent despite not being in midseason form. Clint Dempsey (Seattle), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Graham Zusi (Sporting KC), and Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC) combined for 3 goals and all 4 assists. And really Ethan Finlay (Columbus) would have added another goal on an assist from Altidore had the officiating been a little cleaner. Nice job, boys! Way to represent!

Questions Following USA vs Guatemala

I'll be honest, despite the U.S.'s poor play against CONCACAF opponents as of late, I was optimistic heading into Friday night's qualifier against Guatemala. Maybe we wouldn't win, but there was no way we were coming away with less than a draw, right? This is the same Guatemala that we beat 4-0 last July after all. And now here we are, literally backs to the wall, essentially needing to win out just to make it to the hexagonal stage. Yes, this isn't that far from where we were four years ago when we drew in Guatemala and lost in Jamaica at this same stage, but this feels more dire, doesn't it? Anyhow, I really wanted to blame Klinsmann, and solely Klinsmann, immediately following the loss. But while the coach is ultimately responsible, the players bear a significant piece of the burden. After all, some better finishing by Clint Dempsey, Alejandro Bedoya and others, and this isn't a 2-0 game. Some better defense on a corner (Mix Diskerud) and some better communication along the back line (everybody) and we don't concede two goals. Still, I have questions:

1) Is Clint Dempsey still deserving a spot in the USMNT Starting XI? The active leading scorer for the U.S. has struggled out of the gates in 2016. Yes, he notched a Champions League brace against Santos Laguna, but in three MLS appearances (all losses), he's put just one shot on target out of 12, and has no goals, and no assists, despite playing alongside Paraguayan International Nelson Valdez, and one of the U.S.'s top striking prospects in Jordan Morris. I know it's a small sample size, but coupled with his poor showing against Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup last fall, you have to wonder if he's not on the decline. Don't get me wrong, I think Dempsey should have been on the team, but maybe given his recent struggles, and lack of fitness (he was gassed by the end), would it not have served the team better to start someone else and be able to bring Deuce in off the bench for a late spark?

2) Speaking of that someone else, if Jozy Altidore was healthy enough to play, shouldn't he have gotten the start? Even if Jozy only went the opening 45 minutes, don't you want your best striker on the field in a big game like this? Plus, if you lose him to injury or whatever, don't you want that to happen when you have players in reserve, and not after you use him as your last substitute?

3) Why not start Yedlin in the back? DeAndre Yedlin brings blazing speed to the table, but his offensive game (speed aside) is lacking. I get that he's exciting and adds a spark, but his contributions on the attack aren't flashes of brilliance so much as they are a testament to his natural athleticism. I just feel like we had better attacking options in the midfield (Lee Nguyen, Darlington Nagbe, Gyasi Zardes) that would have brought more offense to the table while Yedlin could've been better utilized at the back.

4) Why not start Geoff Cameron in the middle? Cameron started both of the two previous World Cup Qualifiers in the center alongside Matt Besler and we allowed one goal. I understand Besler was hurt in training, but why not start Cameron alongside Gonzalez with Orozco on the right? This is how we lined up Cameron and Orozco against Trinidad and Tobago and we pitched a road shutout. This tinkering with a lineup that was already working seemed unnecessary.

5) Why not start Kyle Beckerman? Beckman's there for his toughness and prowess as a defensive midfielder, right? Two things that make sense to have when playing in Central America. Mix Diskerud is not a defensive midfielder. I love the guy, but his strengths are in going forward. Look how high up the field he's been playing for his club team and it's been working great. If Klinsmann is insistent on playing Bradley and Diskerud together, why not flip them and let Diskerud play up high and Bradley as more of a holding midfielder? Speaking of Bradley...

6) Why don't we play Bradley in the position he plays for his club team? Bradley seems far more comfortable playing deep with Toronto, but for whatever reason, Klinsmann insists on putting him as the attacking central midfielder. This would make sense if we didn't have anyone else, but we have Darlington Nagbe. We have Lee Nguyen. It's just frustrating seeing players consistently played out of position (Yedlin, Johnson, Bradley, Diskerud, Cameron, etc). There's a saying about putting square pegs in round holes that would seem to apply here...

7) Why no Villafaña? I'm still bitter about Jorge Villafaña's omission from the squad. Not that Edgar Castillo had a bad game, but I think Villafaña would have had a better one.

8) Why Tim Howard? I don't want to put this loss on the Secretary of Defense, but Howard's not the keeper he was four years ago when he single handedly (perhaps more accurately he used both hands and feet) kept us in our final World Cup match against Belgium. Since then, he's lost his job with Everton and has committed to a return to MLS with the Colorado Rapids. Bottom line, he hasn't been playing. Brad Guzan has. Tim Howard isn't going to be our keeper in the next World Cup (if we even make it), so why continue to play games about Guzan vs Howard? If it's not Guzan, let's figure out who it is, and get them in net.

9) How short is Klinsmann's leash? Reports I've read suggest Klinsmann has top cover, but for how long? Should we fail to beat Guatemala or fail to reach the hexagonal, shouldn't that be condemning criteria? Is it possible that Klinsmann's grasp of the game fits in Europe (wins over Italy, Germany, Netherlands, etc), but not in CONCACAF (see Gold Cup 2015)? Do the players get up for games for Klinsmann? We've seen a string of uninspired performances, and while that should also fall on the players, doesn't a good coach figure out ways to motivate? Maybe Klinsmann's true talent isn't coaching, but rather to identify talent. He's brought players like Miguel Ibarra, Brandon Vincent, Jordan Morris, Bobby Wood and others into the fold, that most U.S. coaches would surely miss. But he isn't winning, which ultimately coaches are going to be judged on, especially when the talent is there.

10) How much trouble are we in? We'll find out Tuesday, but another uninspired performance against the Guatemalans could make this a disappointing World Cup cycle for fans of the red, white and blue.

Proposed USMNT Lineup vs Guatemala

Still a couple weeks to go, but here's the Starting XI I'd like to see us go with against Guatemala:


GK - Brad Guzan - I know there were talks about alternating between Guzan and Tim Howard, but with Howard riding the bench at Everton and Guzan having regained his starting job at Aston Villa, I think Guzan gets the edge here.


Left Back - Jorge Villafaña - After winning a championship with the Portland Timbers, Villafaña has won a starting job in Mexico and recently contributed to Santos Laguna's back-to-back shutouts of the LA Galaxy while advancing to the CCL Semifinals. While Villafaña doesn't have a CAP with the USMNT, his high level of play should be rewarded, plus it allows Fabian Johnson to push into the attack.


Center Back - Matt Besler - Apologies to John Brooks, but the edge goes to the veteran Besler here even if he's not in midseason form. Plus, it makes sense for Brooks to head to Colombia to try and help the U-23s qualify for the Olympics.


Center Back - Omar Gonzalez - Gonzalez has done well since heading south of the border already becoming a valuable contributor with Pachuca. While the U.S. has lots of options at central defense, I feel like Gonzalez deserves the nod here.


Right Back - Geoff Cameron - The versatile Cameron has played well for the U.S. lately and by playing out right, instead of centrally, allows DeAndre Yedlin to join the U-23s in Colombia.


Left Midfield - Fabian Johnson - Arguably playing as good as any American in the world right now, I feel like Johnson is far more valuable in the attack than he is on defense. At a time when the U.S. has struggled to score goals, we need his attacking skills now more than ever.


Defensive Midfield - Michael Bradley - This probably is a reach since it dramatically changes the structure of the U.S. team, but Bradley played deeper in Toronto's opener against the Red Bulls and it worked out just fine. Plus, the U.S. has creative attackers that can fill that #10 role (Nguyen, Nagbe, etc) which allows the U.S. to put a more offensive-minded team on the field.


Attacking Midfield - Lee Nguyen - I love Darlington Nagbe, but Nguyen has been better for the U.S. lately, and his experience probably gets him the nod here. No doubt Nagbe makes the team, but the high-energy Nguyen should get the start.


Right Midfield - Alejandro Bedoya - Gyasi Zardes has been getting a lot of looks with the U.S., but Bedoya's in midseason form thanks to the European schedule so I think it's fair to say he's ahead of Zardes right now.


Striker - Jozy Altidore/Clint Dempsey/Chris Wondolowski - This one's tricky. Jozy is the clear cut starter when healthy, but he's not (hamstring again) and may not be ready when these games role around. Additionally, there are rumors that Dempsey is staying out of the National Team picture until this summer which means he might not be available either. If both of those two are out, I'll probably get flak for this, but I give the nod to Wondo. The veteran striker has a knack for scoring goals against weaker opponents (which Guatemala is) and he's already gotten on the board in MLS this season. We need goals, Wondo scores goals, so he's my third option.


Striker - Bobby Wood - Wood has been taking the 2.Bundesliga by storm ranking third in the league with 12 goals. Wood's red hot league play, coupled with his solid play for the U.S. gets him a start, no questions asked.


Subs - Tim Howard (GK), Mix Diskerud (MF), Gyasi Zardes (MID/FWD), Darlington Nagbe (MF), Jonathan Bornstein (DEF), Michael Orozco (DEF), Chris Wondolowski (FWD)*, Danny Williams (MID)**


*If Jozy or Dempsey Starts
**If Wondo Starts

Upcoming Important Soccer Dates

3/15/16-3/16/16 - 2015-16 CCL Champions League Semifinal, First Leg Matches
3/25/16 - USMNT at Guatemala - World Cup Qualifying
3/25/16 - USMNT U-23s at Colombia - Olympic Qualifying
3/25/16 - Start of 2016 USL Season
3/29/16 - Guatemala at USMNT - World Cup Qualifying
3/29/16 - Colombia at USMNT U-23s - Olympic Qualifying
4/02/16 - Start of 2016 NASL Spring Season
4/05/16 - 2015-16 CCL Champions League Semifinal, Second Leg Matches
4/20/16 - 2015-16 CCL Champions League Final, First Leg
4/27/16 - 2015-16 CCL Champions League Final, Second Leg
6/03/16 - Start of Copa América Centenario
7/28/16 - 2016 MLS All-Star Game

U.S. Settles For Draw in Trinidad and Tobago

So, the U.S. played a feisty Trinidad and Tobago side to a 0-0 draw and people are freaking out a little bit. My favorite comment though came from @benpkaufmann:

Phenomenal performance if we're in the WC needing a tie w/ Brazil. Qualifier v Trinidad? Not so impressive #USMNT #USAvTRI

Similar stuff from @Metro_Soccer:

Yes, Klinsmann said a draw would be good enough on the road, and no, it should not be. Trinidad isn't Argentina or Brazil #USMNT #USAvTRI

Looking Back at Previous World Cup Qualifying Cycles

In preparations for this afternoon's World Cup Qualifying match against Trinidad and Tobago I decided to take a stroll down memory lane and look at how we fared in previous World Cup Qualifiers over the last four World Cup cycles. Not surprisingly, the U.S. generally has performed pretty well sporting an overall mark of 44-12-12 between 2000 and 2012. Here's some of the more notable observations I made:

1) Earnie Stewart was a beast during the 2002 World Cup Qualifying cycle scoring 8 goals in a 12 match span. He only scored 19 international goals in his entire career. He didn't pile them up against just the minnows either scoring against Mexico, in Costa Rica, and in Honduras.

2) Eddie Johnson scored goals during qualifiers during the cycles of 2006, 2010 and 2014. The only other players to do that were Carlos Bocanegra and Landon Donovan.

3) Clint Dempsey, an omission from the current squad, scored 8 times in World Cup Qualifying for the U.S. during the 2014 cycle.

4) The last American to score in a World Cup Qualifier in Trinidad and Tobago was Ricardo Clark (2009).

5) For all the talk about how Mexico is such a tough place for the U.S. to play, the U.S. has lost every World Cup Qualifying match they've played in Costa Rica going back to the 1990 cycle and have been outscored 19-6 over their last eight matches. You have to go back to the 1985 CONCACAF Championship - the precursor to the current World Cup Qualifying - where the U.S. drew 1-1 inCosta Rica to find a qualifier the U.S. didn't lose there.

6) The U.S. had just 7 shutouts in 16 World Cup Qualifying matches during the 2014 cycle. Only one of those shutouts came on the road, and that was in Mexico.

7) Of all the U.S. players who scored against St. Vincent and the Grenadines, only Jozy Altidore had previously scored for the U.S. in a World Cup Qualifier.

8) The U.S. lost in Trinidad and Tobago in 2008, 2-1.

9) Jozy Altidore's first international hat trick came against Trinidad and Tobago in 2009.

10) Dating back to last cycle, the U.S. has won four consecutive World Cup Qualifying matches.

USMNT and CMNT MLS Contingent Results

For the U.S. vs St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Around CONCACAF - World Cup Qualifying

By now, the fact that the U.S. has defeated St. Vincent and the Grenadines is old news, but what about the rest of CONCACAF? Just as a refresher, the Fourth Round of Qualifying for CONCACAF consists of round-robin play for three four-team groups. The top two teams in each group will advanced to the Fifth Round, commonly known as the Hexagonal. The U.S. is in Group C with Trinidad and Tobago, Guatemala, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The other two groups are Group A: Mexico, El Salvador, Canada and Honduras, and Group B: Panama, Jamaica, Haiti and Costa Rica. Here's a quick glance at the rest of the matches on Match Day 1 (home teams in bold):

Group A

Mexico 3 El Salvador 0
Canada 1 Honduras 0

Group B

Costa Rica 1 Haiti 0
Panama 2 Jamaica 0

Group C

Trinidad and Tobago 2 Guatemala 1
United States 6 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 1

And here's the match schedule for Tuesday:

Mexico at Honduras
Canada at El Salvador
Jamaica at Haiti
Costa Rica at Panama
Guatemala at Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
United States at Trinidad and Tobago

U.S. Opens World Cup Qualifying with 6-1 Win

Five Thoughts on the U.S.'s 6-1 Win over St. Vincent & The Grenadines

1) Yes, the U.S. won this match, and won big in the end, but a 6-1 win over a team like St. Vincent & The Grenadines really doesn't tell you a whole lot. In fact, it's probably more significant that the U.S. trailed in this match than it is that the U.S. won by five goals. The St. Vincent goal was a result of a bad clearance and soft defending, and it's still unclear if the U.S. has settled on a starting back four moving forward. This much is for certain, we'll know a lot more about the U.S. after Tuesday's match against Trinidad and Tobago. On a side note, the St. Vincent goal scorer, Oalex Anderson plays in the USL for Seattle Sounders FC 2 which means you might see him in a Sounders uniform next season. Anderson, who just turned 20, has already scored 10 goals for St. Vincent & The Grenadines.

2) One of the biggest stories of this match is the fact that the U.S. was able to get both Matt Miazga and Darlington Nagbe onto the field which means that both will (hopefully) be a part of the U.S. soccer team for years to come. Miazga was being actively courted by Poland while Nagbe was born in Liberia and still eligible to play for them. Now, having appeared for the U.S. in a Qualifier, they're both "Cap-Tied" to the United States. Obviously it's too early to tell what kind of impact they'll have, but adding a center back and playmaking midfielder into the mix are never a bad thing.

3) Three of the six U.S. goals came as a result of set pieces, but what was interesting was that it was Fabian Johnson taking the kicks early on instead of Michael Bradley. The result was a free kick that deflected in off the wall, and a pair of corners flicked on to players making a back post run. Johnson, who started in the midfield instead of outside back, was dangerous all night and if Klinsmann can afford to keep him in the midfield, that could be a huge boost to the U.S. attack moving forward.

4) All Bobby Wood does is score big goals. He's scored four times (all this year) for the U.S. and his four goals are as follows: 1) Game Winner against the Netherlands, 2) Game Winner against Germany, 3) Extra time equalizer against Mexico in the CONCACAF Cup, 4) Equalizer in World Cup Qualifying against St. Vincent & The Grenadines. I know Clint Dempsey's still out there, but could Bobby Wood and Jozy Altidore be our solution up top? We should know more after we see the Trinidad and Tobago game next week, but there's no question that Bobby Wood is for real.

5) With a pair of goals, Jozy Altidore moved ahead of Brian McBride and into fourth place on the all-time scoring list with 31 career goals for the United States. Altidore now needs just three goals to catch Eric Wynalda for third place.

U.S. Rosters for World Cup Qualifying/U-23 Friendlies

Here's a look at how the U.S. will line up in their upcoming World Cup Qualifiers as well as in a pair of U-23 friendlies against Brazil. The biggest surprise has to be the omission of Clint Dempsey who led the U.S. in scoring in 2015 with 9 goals in 10 matches. You could also argue the inclusion of Alan Gordon is also a bit of a surprise given that he doesn't start for his club team, the LA Galaxy, but his strong showing in the Champions League and knack for scoring goals off the bench was likely a factor. Here's a look at both rosters. The U-23s play Brazil today and Sunday, while the Senior National Team plays St. Vincent & The Grenadines on Friday and Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday.

World Cup Qualifying

From MLS/U.S.

GK - Bill Hamid - DC United - 2 Caps
DEF - Matt Besler - Sporting Kansas City - 27 Caps
DEF - Matt Miazga - New York Red Bulls - 0 Caps
DEF - Brek Shea - Orlando City SC - 34 Caps, 4 Goals
MID - Kyle Beckerman - Real Salt Lake - 51 Caps, 1 Goal
MID - Michael Bradley - Toronto FC - 107 Caps, 15 Goals
MID - Mix Diskerud - New York City FC - 36 Caps, 6 Goals
MID - Jermaine Jones - New England Revolution - 54 Caps, 3 Goals
MID - Darlington Nagbe - Portland Timbers - 0 Caps
FWD - Jozy Altidore - Toronto FC - 87 Caps, 29 Goals
FWD - Alan Gordon - LA Galaxy - 2 Caps
FWD - Jordan Morris - Stanford - 6 Caps, 1 Goal
FWD - Gyasi Zards - LA Galaxy - 17 Caps, 2 Goals