In an interview ahead of his team’s flight to Cape Town, USA boss Bob Bradley revealed his view of the South Africa friendly which is meant to honor the Nelson Mandela Challenge. The coach was quoted as saying on USSoccer.com:
“This game is a good opportunity to look at some different players and assess their place in the pool as we continue to build for the next cycle.
“With our immediate focus on the Gold Cup next summer, this game, in many ways, is just as much the start of 2011 as it’s the end of a great year.”
The USA were surprisingly trounced by their bitter rivals Mexico in the final of the 2009 Gold Cup. Ahead of the upcoming edition of this competition which will be held on their soil, the USA are favorites to clinch the title and thus cover their wounds. However, they will also be under pressure to avoid mistakes following their Last 16 exit at the 2010 World Cup. Voices from USA’s supporters had called upon Bob Bradley to be replaced earlier in the summer, but the country’s federation decided to stick with the same manager.
South Africa vs USA: USA's 18-Man Squad Info
Well, as USA prepare to affront South Africa, Bob Bradley has remained faithful with his philosophy of trying out youngsters. Only 5 players out of the manager’s 18-man squad list are 2010 World Cup participants. There has also been space for US Soccer Development Academy alumni Gale Agbossoumonde and Juan Agudelo. These two young lads have a bit of experience at the junior level.
Agbossoumonde was the skipper of the USA’s U-20 side throughout the championship for the 2010 Milk Cup in Ireland. Agudelo won two caps for the U-17 team that featured in the 2009 U-17 World Cup in Nigeria which Switzerland eventually won. Together, Agbossoumonde and Agudelo made history by becoming the first Development Academy players of US Soccer to feature in training with USA’s full senior team.
Interestingly, Bob Bradley’s 18-man squad includes 6 players in total who are anxiously waiting to win their first cap. Here is the USA’s full team roster:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan, Dominic Cervi
Defenders: Nat Borchers, Gale Agbossoumonde, Jonathan Bornstein, Eric Lichaj, Clarence Goodson, Jonathan Spector, Tim Ream
Midfielders: Logan Pause, Eddie Gaven, Robbie Rogers, Alejandro Bedoya, Mikkel Diskerud, Brian Carroll
Forwards: Teal Bunbury, Juan Agudelo, Robbie Findley
