Well, we lost this thread, so I thought I would start another one. The Canadian camp starts in a few days (I think) and they will be playing the US on Dec 19 and Dec 21.
No problem... http://www.canadasoccer.com/eng/media/viewArtical.asp?Press_ID=984 Pos Name Club DOB Hometown D BRAZ, Adam Montreal Impact 6/7/1981 Dorval QC MF PLACENTINO, Rocco Montreal Impact 2/25/1982 Montreal QC D ARANGO, Andres Mercer CC 4/23/1983 Etobicoke ON MF CHIN, Gordon Burnaby Canadians 3/26/1983 Burnaby BC F FRIEND, Rob University of Santa Barbara 1/23/1981 Kelowna BC MF HUTCHINSON, Atiba Osters 2/8/1983 Brampton ON D MARSHALL, Winston Wright State University 2/26/1983 Scarborough ON M MATONDO, Sita-Taty Quebec 12/28/1984 St-Laurent QC D OPPONG, Victor FC Saarbrucken 9/4/1981 Scarborough ON D POZNIAK, Chris Orebro SK 1/10/1981 North York ON GK RAYNER, Simon Barry Town AFC 7/8/1983 Vancouver BC D SAVARIA, Mathieu Fairleigh Dickinson Univ. 5/14/1981 St-Hubert QC MF/F THOMPSON, Justin Fairfield University 1/9/1981 N. Vancouver BC MF WILLIAMS, Chris University of Mobile 6/1/1981 North York ON MF CANIZALEZ, Maycoll Werder Bremen 12/28/1982 Toronto ON D/MF LEDGERWOOD, Nikolas Calgary Storm FC 1/16/1985 Lethbridge AB D/MF HARMSE, Kevin ICSF-Inter 7/4/1984 Coquitlam BC GK KINDEL, Dennis ICSF-Inter 10/10/1982 Burnaby BC Canada is missing most of their professional players who are in Europe. I am sure the US isn't fielding their top U23 side either. These games are a good chance for the US and Canada to try some younger players.
US U-23 roster Goalkeepers (3): D.J. Countess (Dallas Burn), 82 Josh Saunders (Cal-Berkeley), 81 Doug Warren (Clemson) 81 Defenders (8): Nelson Akwari (MetroStars), 82 Jose Burciaga (K.C. Wizards), 81 Kelly Gray (Chicago Fire), 81 Ricky Lewis (Clemson), 82 Matt Oliver (Virginia), 81 Scot Thompson (UCLA), 81 Chris Wingert (St. John’s University), 82 Alexander Yi (Royal Antwerp) 82 Midfielders (8): Kyle Beckerman (Colorado Rapids), 82 Brian Carroll (Wake Forest), 81 Bobby Convey (D.C. United), 83 Brad Davis (MetroStars), 81 Roger Levesque (Stanford), 81 Justin Mapp (D.C. United), 84 Kyle Martino (Columbus Crew), 81 Logan Pause (UNC); 81 Forwards (6): Devin Barclay (San Jose Earthquakes), 83 Landon Donovan (San Jose Earthquakes), 82 Alecko Eskandarian (Virginia), 82 Ed Johnson (Dallas Burn), 84 David Testo (UNC), 81 Jason Thompson (Eastern Illinois) 82 IMHO, the only players missing for the USA are Oguchi Onyewu (Metz), David Stokes (UNC), Seth Trembly (Colorado Rapids), Santino Quaranta (DC United), Conor Casey (Hannover), DaMarcus Beasley (Chi Fire) and Edson Buddle (Columbus Crew). Buddle and Beasley had surgeries recently. Onyewu just got cleared to play with his club in France. I'm not sure about the status of Stokes, Trembly and Quaranta. Casey's probably busy with his German club.
davide, I would add that Jordan Stone (Dallas Burn) and Ricardo Clark (Furman), 1 of whom is the 23s likely starter at D-mid during the Pan-Am Games and qualifying, aren't there either. So, you're talking aboth the starting D-mid, starting right back (Onyewu), starting left mid (Beasley), and 1 and possibly 2, likely starting forwards (Buddle, Casey, Quaranta). That's 4 starters and 3 top subs who are missing for the US so, like out brothers to the north, neither team is near full strength. I don't see the US and Canada U23s meeting at full strength unless they play in qualifying.
GK Pieter Meuleman (On Trial at Orebro, I believe) GK Daniel Fernandes (Celta Vigo, reserves) M Tam Nsaliwa (1.FC Saarbrucken, first team) M Julian DeGuzman (Hannover 96, first team) D/M Mike Klukowski (La Louviere, first team) MF/F Iain Hume (Tranmere Rovers, first team) F Wyn Belotte (Angelholms FF, first team) F Elliot Godfrey (Watford FC, reserves) MF/F Chris Lemire (Calgary Storm, first team) MF Terry Dunfield (Bury, first team) I'm sure I've forgotten one or two additional players that will be missing from the Florida camp. An addendum to CS's list: Rob Friend is now with Moss of the Norwegian First Division.
Don't know who scored yet, but according to a poster in the US Junior teams board, Canada won the first match 2-0.
I talked to a buddy of mine who saw both games. He said Canada are the real deal and that he expects both teams to qualify for he Olympics. In could be an all north of the Mexican boarder affair in 2004.
I firmly believe this to be true. Our youth teams have been progressively getting better, to the point that they should always be considered top 3 in CONCACAF. A lot has been said of the rise of American soccer (especially at the youth level), but I think the rest of the confederation tends to overlook Canada's consistent performances at the youth levels of late as anomalies. Only time will tell, I suppose, but if all goes as it should, it'll be US and Canada in Athens 2004.
And the best about this for Canadian fans is that half of our best players at that age level weren't even there due to European club committments. Certainly sounds promising.