Galaxy’s Landon Donovan named to U.S. Gold Cup roster

Landon Donovan was called up to the U.S. national team Thursday for the first time since last August, joining 22 other players named to the roster for next month’s Gold Cup.

Donovan, U.S. soccer’s all-time leader in goals and assists, last played for Coach Juergen Klinsmann in a friendly in Mexico City 10 months ago. Injuries kept him out of last fall’s World Cup qualifiers and after the Galaxy’s win in Major League Soccer’s Cup final in December, Donovan took a three-month sabbatical from the sport.

Klinsmann has left him off his team since then, citing Donovan’s form and fitness. But Donovan has started the last nine games with the Galaxy, going the full 90 minutes each time while scoring a goal and adding two assists.

The team called up Thursday is basically a “B” team rather than the first-choice squad Klinsmann used in World Cup qualifying earlier this month.

Club Tijuana of the Mexican league placed three men on the team when Klinsmann summoned defender Edgar Castillo, midfielder Joe Corona and forward Herculez Gomez. MLS team Real Salt Lake also had three players called up in keeper Nick Rimando, defender Tony Beltran and midfielder Kyle Beckerman.

Left off the squad was long-time national team defender Carlos Bocanegra, who was chosen for the 35-man preliminary roster.

The players will gather Monday in San Diego to prepare for a July 5 friendly with Guatemala. The U.S. will open group play in the Gold Cup against Belize on July 9 in Portland.

The team:

GOALKEEPERS (3): Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

DEFENDERS (8): Corey Ashe (Houston Dynamo), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Tony Beltran (Real Salt Lake), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Oguchi Onyewu (Malaga), Michael Orozco Fiscal (Puebla), Michael Parkhurst (FC Augsburg)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Helsinborg), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Joshua Gatt (Molde FK), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Jose Torres (Tigres)

FORWARDS (5): Will Bruin (Houston Dynamo), Landon Donovan (Galaxy), Herculez Gomez (Club Tijuana), Jack McInerney (Philadelphia Union), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)

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