The US Under-18 national team roster for the 2015 Copa Chivas Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico, named Tuesday by head coach Javier Perez, features two MLS players and seven high schoolers from MLS academies.
Perez named 20 players in all for the U-18s' first competition of 2015 and first since a two-game international set against Germany in mid-December in Marbella, Spain, including forwards Victor Mansaray (above) of the Seattle Sounders and Sebastian Saucedo of Real Salt Lake. In addition to the seven players currently in MLS academies, early Creighton enrollee Evan Waldrep is a graduate of Real Salt Lake's Arizona residency program.
The US open their Group A stage of Copa Chivas against Monarcas Morelia on Jan. 30. They then face Cruzeiro on Jan. 31, Club Tijuana on Feb. 2 and Universidad Católica on Feb. 3.
The top eight seeds advance to the tournament’s quarterfinal stage, which begins Feb. 5. That is followed by the semifinals on Feb. 6 and the title game on Feb. 7.
This is the 19th edition of Copa Chivas Internacional, which pits youth teams from all over the world against each other, and features three groups of five teams. Group B includes Mexico’s U-17 national team, Boca Juniors, Monterrey, River Plate and Tigres. Group C features FC Dallas, Atlas, Atlético Paranaense, Chivas Guadalajara and Urawa Red Diamonds.
Eighteen of the players are with current Development Academy clubs and 19 of the 20 have academy ties.
After Copa Chivas, the U-18s will compete in the 2015 Slovakia Cup in late April.
Here is the complete roster:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jonathan Klinsmann (Strikers FC; Newport Beach, Calif.), Justin Vom Steeg (Real So Cal; Santa Barbara, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): David Burns (San Juan SC; El Dorado Hills, Calif.), Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls; Brooklyn, N.Y.), Malcolm Jones (LA Galaxy; Chino Hills, Calif.), DJ Mason (Capital Area RailHawks Academy – CASL; Morrisville, N.C.); Pablo Pelaez (San Diego Surf; San Diego, Calif.), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bolingbrook, Ill.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Boakye (Oakwood SC; Glastonbury, Conn.), James Murphy (Players Development Academy; Scotch Plains, N.J.), Amirgy Pineda (Fullerton SC; Santa Ana, Calif.), Emmanuel Sabbi (Chicago Magic PSG; Libertyville, Ill.), Evan Waldrep (Creighton; Peoria, Ariz.), Eryk Williamson (D.C. United; Alexandria, Va.), Sean Wilson (Philadelphia Union; West Chester, Pa.), Jackson Yueill (Minnesota Thunder; Bloomington, Minn.)
FORWARDS (4): Sebastian Elney (Philadelphia Union; Boca Raton, Fla.), Brooks Lennon (Real Salt Lake AZ; Paradise Valley, Ariz.), Victor Mansaray (Seattle Sounders FC; Des Moines, Wash.), Sebastian Saucedo (Real Salt Lake; Casa Grande, Ariz.)
