FRISCO – FC Dallas Academy forward Beni Redzic and 22 other players have been called into the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team for an international training camp featuring four games in San Jose, Costa Rica from Aug. 2-13.
Redzic finished the 2017-18 season with 15 goals in 21 appearances for the FCD U-17s playing up a birth year after posting 20 goals in 22 games the previous season with the U-14 team.
While in Costa Rica for the 11-day camp, the U.S. will play Concacaf counterparts Mexico and Costa Rica two times apiece. They will first face Mexico on Aug. 6, followed by Costa Rica on Aug. 7. After two days of rest, the U-17 MNT will face Los Ticos againon Aug. 10 before concluding with another match vs. El Tri on the 12th.
“Being able to travel to Central America and play two of the best teams in Concacaf gives our players and staff the opportunity to evaluate exactly where we are at in this point of the cycle,” Hackworth stated in the U.S. Soccer press release. “In addition, we continue to grow the 2002/2003 pool by selecting a few players that will represent the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team for the first time. As we move closer to World Cup qualifying, this experience is invaluable as it is impossible to replicate what playing opponents like Mexico and Costa Rica in Central America is really like until you actually do it. The lessons these young men will learn on this trip will help them tremendously as they continue to develop.”
The U-17 MNT is more than halfway through the first year of a two-year cycle that is focused on qualifying for the next U-17 World Cup, through the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship. The camp marks the sixth gathering for the U-17’s during the cycle. The 2017 Nike International Friendlies marked the group’s first gathering and was followed shortly thereafter by the historic Men’s Youth National Team Summit. In February, the group assembled at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center for a domestic camp, which served as a preparation opportunity for the inaugural Sport-Chain Cup, where the USA claimed the title.
U.S. U-17 MNT Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), Chituru Odunze (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; Calgary Alberta)
DEFENDERS (9): Axel Alejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.), Michael Barragan (Atlas FC; Guadalajara, Mexico), Jahlane Forbes (Orlando City SC; Clermont, Fla.), Tayvon Gray (New York City FC; Bronx, N.Y.), Kobe Hernandez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Mason Judge (Chargers Soccer Club, Tampa, Fla.), Antino Lopez (Shattuck-Saint Mary's; Las Vegas, Nev.), Joseph Scally (New York City F.C.; Lake Grove, N.Y.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Luis Flores (Shattuck- Saint Mary's; Half Moon Bay, Calif.), Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Giovanni Reyna (New York City FC; Bedford Corners, N.Y.), Adam Saldana (LA Galaxy; Panorama City, Calif.), Peter Stroud (West Ham United; Chester, N.J.)
FORWARDS (7): Sagir David Arce (Monarcas Moreila; Chihuahua, Mexico), Tyler Freeman (Sporting Kansas City; Shawnee, Kan.), Andres Jasson (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Diego Lopez (Atlanta United FC; Chino, Calif.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Fresno, Calif.), Benjamin Redzic (FC Dallas; Carrollton, Texas), Ray Serrano (Seattle Sounders FC; Graham, Wash.)
