EAST RUTHERFORD- Soccer sensation, Eric Lichaj, currently playing defense for Leeds United in the English Premiere League has been called up for the U. S. Men’s National Team. The former University of North Carolina player was an injury replacement for U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. He will join the squad for four days of training in Cary, North Carolina. Then it will be off for two international friendlies against Argentina and Paraguay.
The first match will be in New Jersey. The U.S. will first face two-time FIFA World Cup Champion Argentina on March 26, at New Meadowlands Stadium. Kickoff against the No. 4-ranked Argentines is set for 7 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Univision. The Paraguay game will be at the end of the month on March 29, at LP Field in Nashville.
Lichaj has two international matches under his belt playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He is on loan to Leeds United for the rest of this season from Aston Villa.
More than 55,000 tickets have been sold for the high profile match against Argentina. “This is an important opportunity to get our core group together along with some relatively newer faces as we consider the roster decisions for the Gold Cup this summer,” said Bradley.
Former FIFA World Player of the Year Lionel Messi headlines the roster for Argentina. Argentina head coach Sergio Batista has called on some of his country’s biggest talents in Javier Zanetti, Javier Mascherano and Esteban Cambiasso to also prepare them for COPA America and Gold Cup qualifying.
Following the New Jersey match, a new U.S. roster will be announced for the game in Nashville. This is all in preparations for this summer and the CONCACAF Gold Cup. The U.S. will be seeking its fifth Gold Cup title, and a berth in the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.
Game to be Played at Ford Field in Detroit on June 11,
Future dates include joining ‘Group C’ of the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup along with Canada, Panama and Guadeloupe. The U.S. will first take on Canada on June 7, at 8:00 p.m. ET at the indoor Ford Field in Detroit. The team then travels south to face Panama on June 11, at 8:00 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla., before rounding out group play against Guadeloupe on June 14, at the brand new LIVESTRONG Sporting Park in Kansas City, with kickoff slated for 8:00 p.m. CT.
Goaltender and New Jersey native Tim Howard enters camp with 27 career shutouts in 57 career appearances for the U.S. national team.
U.S National Team Roster Invitees
GOALKEEPERS: Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Tim Howard (Everton), David Yelldell (MSV Duisburg)
DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Jonathan Bornstein (UANL Tigres), Timothy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Jay DeMerit (Vancouver Whitecaps), Eric Lichaj (Leeds United), Oguchi Onyewu (FC Twente), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)
MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (Aston Villa), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Mikkel Diskeruud (Stabaek), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Jermaine Jones (Blackburn Rovers), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht)
FORWARDS: Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), Jozy Altidore (Bursaspor), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt)