United academy player and University of Maryland midfielder Eryk Williamson has been named to the final 20-player roster for the 2017 CONCACAF U-20 Championship by head coach Tab Ramos. The tournament, which doubles as the team’s 2017 World Cup qualifying tournament, runs from Feb. 17-March 5 in Costa Rica.
The USA has been drawn into Group B along with Panama, Haiti and Saint Kitts and Nevis. The U.S. opens against Panama at 4 PM ET on Feb. 18, followed by Haiti at 5:30 PM ET on Feb. 21 and Saint Kitts and Nevis at 5:30 PM ET on Feb. 24. All three of the USA’s matches will be broadcast in the United States on Univision networks. Fans can also follow the action on twitter at @ussoccer_ynt.
“This process is always difficult,” Ramos said. “Inevitably you always end up leaving a couple guys out who deserve to be on the roster. When selecting a roster for a tournament like this, where you are trying to qualify to the World Cup, you are putting together a best 11 and then players who can play multiple positions. So that’s what we've done. We are happy with the team and we are looking forward to qualifying.”
The U.S. roster includes one member of the USA’s 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup team in defender Erik Palmer-Brown who Ramos named team captain for the qualifying tournament.
Eleven players on the USA roster represent clubs in Major League Soccer: defenders Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC) and Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union), midfielders Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake), Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls), Craft Coy (FC Dallas), Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC) and Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake), and forwards Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers) and Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake).
Two U-20 MNT players are teammates on Premier League 2 (U-23) side Fulham F.C.: midfielder Luca de la Torre and defender Marlon Fossey.
Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jonathan Klinsmann (University of California; Newport Beach, Calif.), JT Marcinkowski (Georgetown; Alamo, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (7): Danny Acosta (Real Salt Lake; Salt Lake City, Utah), Marlon Fossey (Fulham F.C.; Surbiton, England), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (New Mexico; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Orlando City SC; Oviedo, Fla.), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia Union; Media, Pa.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Tyler Adams (New York Red Bulls; Wappingers Falls, N.Y), Luca de la Torre (Fulham F.C.; San Diego, Calif.), Jonathan Gonzalez (CF Monterrey; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Jeremiah Gutjahr (Indiana University; Bloomington, Ind.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Park City, Utah), Eryk Williamson (University of Maryland; Alexandria, Va.)
FORWARDS (5): Coy Craft (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers; Bethesda, Md.), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Jonathan Lewis (New York City FC; Plantation, Fla.), Emmanuel Sabbi (UD Las Palmas; Libertyville, Ill.)
