Galaxy’s Giovani dos Santos omitted from Mexico’s Gold Cup roster
Galaxy forward Giovani dos Santos was not included on the 40-man roster Mexico released Wednesday for July’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, meaning if he does play for the national team this summer it will likely be in World Cup qualifiers with Honduras on Thursday and the U.S. on Sunday, followed by the eight-team Confederations Cup later this month in Russia.
Mexico begins play in the Gold Cup against El Salvador on July 9 in San Diego. The U.S. opens its tournament run a day earlier against Panama in Nashville, Tenn.
The final is scheduled for July 26 in Santa Clara.
Dos Santos is on the 29-man team training with the national team in Mexico City and if he is selected for the Confederations Cup team, he would like miss the Galaxy’s next MLS five games. He would, however, be available for much of July.
Mexican Coach Juan Carlos Osorio said he intended to use two complete teams this summer, one for the qualifiers and the Confederations Cup and another for the Gold Cup. And there is little overlap between the two rosters.
Osorio did not select any of his European-based players for the Gold Cup, picking just one candidate – Houston Dynamo forward Erick Torres – from outside Mexico’s Liga MX.
The provisional U.S. roster for the Gold Cup, released earlier in the week, includes Galaxy forward Gyasi Zardes. Others on the U.S. roster are goalkeeper Tim Howard, former Galaxy defender Omar Gonzalez, midfielders Michael Bradldey and Christian Pulisic and forwards Clint Dempsey, Jozy Altidore and Dom Dwyer.
Dwyer, who plays in MLS for Sporting Kansas City, is a recently naturalized U.S. citizen.
The preliminary rosters submitted are binding and will serve as the basis for the final 23-player lists, which must be announced before the end of June. As in past years, teams that qualify for the Gold Cup quarterfinals will be permitted to amend their 23-player roster following the group stage, by replacing up to six players with new players from the 40-player provisional rosters.
Mexico’s roster:
Goalkeepers: Jesus Corona (Cruz Azu); Rodolfo Cota (CD Guadalajara); Miguel Angel Fraga (Club Atlas); Moises Muñoz (Chiapas FC); Jonathan Orozco (Santos Laguna)
Defenders: Oswaldo Alanis (CD Guadalajara); Nestor Araujo (Santos Laguna); Hugo Ayala (Tigres UANL); Raul Lopez (CF Pachuca); Hedgardo Marin (CD Guadalajara); Rafael Marquez (Club Atlas); Alejandro Mayorga (CD Guadalajara); Jesus Molina (CF Monterrey); Cesar Montes (CF Monterrey); Jair Pereira (CD Guadalajara); Luis Reyes (Club Atlas); Luis Rodriguez (Tigres UANL); Rodrigo Salinas (Deportivo Toluca FC); Jorge Torres Nilo (Tigres UANL); Carlos Vargas (Club Tijuana)
Midfielders: Edson Alvarez (Club America); Jesus Dueñas (Tigres UANL); Jesus Gallardo (Pumas UNAM); Jorge Hernandez (CF Pachuca); Jesus Isijara (Club Necaxa); Javier Lopez (CD Guadalajara); Rodolfo Pizarro (CD Guadalajara); Javier Salas (Club Atlas); Walter Sandoval (Santos Laguna)
Forwards: Martin Barragan (Club Atlas); Jürgen Damm (Tigres UANL); Erick Gutierrez (CF Pachuca); Elias Hernandez (Club Leon); Hirving Lozano (CF Pachuca); Oribe Peralta (Club America); Orbelin Pineda (CD Guadalajara); Alan Pulido (CD Guadalajara); Angel Sepulveda (Queretaro FC); Erick Torres (Houston Dynamo); Angel Zaldivar (CD Guadalajara)
United States
Goalkeepers: Joe Bendik (Orlando City); Jesse Gonzalez (FC Dallas); Brad Guzan (Atlanta United FC); Bill Hamid (DC United); Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids); Sean Johnson (New York City FC)
Defenders: Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City); Steven Birnbaum (DC United); Greg Garza (Atlanta United FC); Omar Gonzalez (CF Pachuca); Matt Hedges (FC Dallas); Eric Lichaj (Nottingham Forest FC); Matt Miazga (SBV Vitesse); Justin Morrow (Toronto FC); Matt Polster (Chicago Fire); Jonathan Spector (Orlando City SC); Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna); Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
Midfielders: Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana); Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union); Michael Bradley (Toronto FC); Joe Corona (Club Tijuana); Dax McCarty (Chicago Fire); Tommy McNamara (New York City FC); Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers); Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas); Chris Pontius (Philadelphia Union); Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund); Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC); Kelyn Rowe (New England Revolution); Kenny Saief (KAA Gent); Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew SC); Gyasi Zardes (Galaxy)
Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution); Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC); Clint Dempsey (Seattle Sounders FC); Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City; Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC); CJ Sapong (Philadelphia Union); Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
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