United States Under-23 national team head coach Andy Herzog on Saturday released his 23-man roster for the team's upcoming two-legged Olympic qualifying playoff against Colombia, including 11 MLS players and Chelsea FC center back Matt Miazga.
The roster will look familiar to those who have followed the both the progress of the U-23s throughout their Olympic qualifying campaign and the recent progress of the senior national team. Nine players named have previous caps with the senior team, with Seattle Sounders forwardJordan Morris (9) and World Cup goalscorer Julian Green (5) leading the way. Eleven of the players named were also included in the roster for the USMNT's mixed senior and U-23 January camp.
The Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas led MLS clubs in both sending two players to the US roster, fullbackEric Miller and midfielder Dillon Serna from Colorado, plus defenders Kellyn Acosta and Walker Zimmerman from Dallas. There are also three former MLS players on the roster, including Miazga, originally a New York Red Bulls Homegrown player, former Rapid Shane O'Neill and Queretaro midfielder Luis Gil, formerly of Real Salt Lake.
The US enters this playoff after finishing third in the CONCACAF Olympic qualifying tournament in fall 2015. The series will start on Friday, March 25 in Barranquilla, Colombia (5 pm ET, FS1) and then move to Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas for the decisive final leg on March 29 (9:30 pm ET, ESPN2). The team with the higher number of goals over the two legs will advance to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro. The US last qualified for the Olympics in 2008, having missed out on the tournament in 2012.
Update: Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Tyler Miller was a late replacement to the roster for Zach Steffen.
Complete US roster for 2016 Olympic qualifying playoff:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Cody Cropper (Milton Keynes Dons, ENG), Ethan Horvath (Molde FK, NOR), Tyler Miller (Seattle Sounders)
DEFENDERS (8): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Miazga (Chelsea FC, ENG), Eric Miller (Colorado Rapids), Tim Parker (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Desevio Payne (FC Groningen, NED), Shane O’Neill (Cambridge United, ENG), Brandon Vincent (Chicago Fire), Walker Zimmerman (FC Dallas)
MIDFIELDERS (9):Fatai Alashe (San Jose Earthquakes), Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana, MEX), Luis Gil (Queretaro, MEX), Julian Green (Bayern Munich, GER), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham FC, ENG), Jerome Kiesewetter (VfB Stuttgart, GER), Matt Polster (Chicago Fire), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC)
FORWARDS (3): Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Mario Rodriguez (Borussia Monchengladbach, GER), Khiry Shelton (New York City FC)
