U.S. Cuts 3, Names 22 for Cup
The U.S. Soccer Federation announced its 22-man World Cup roster Wednesday by making the last three player cuts.
The players released were midfielders Chris Henderson and Dominic Kinnear and defender Brian Bliss.
Wednesday’s moves do not provide insight into the major question concerning the U.S. team: Which 11 players will start and at which positions? That decision does not have to be announced until the day of each game, and U.S. Coach Bora Milutinovic is likely to wait until the last possible moment.
Of the remaining players, six were members of the 1990 World Cup team and seven were 1992 Olympians. Milutinovic looked at 70 players in a three-year period and began this year with a 45-player pool.
Henderson, who attended UCLA, was the youngest player in the ’90 World Cup but didn’t play. He had been on the wing for the U.S. team, opposite Cobi Jones.
Kinnear, 26, was born in Glascow, Scotland, and had played several positions in the midfield. His playing time this year was reduced.
Bliss joined the team for two internationals last week, then injured his left knee Sunday while playing in the German second division. He is expected to undergo surgery today.
U.S. World Cup Soccer Team
GOALKEEPERS:
No Player Age Hometown Caps* Goals 18 Brad Friedel 23 Bay Village, Ohio 25 1 Tony Meola 25 Kearny, N.J. 84 12 Juergen Sommer 25 Naples, Fla. 0
DEFENDERS:
No Player Age Hometown Caps* Goals 17 Marcelo Balboa 26 Cerritos 90 10 3 Mike Burns 23 Marlboro, Mass. 17 0 20 Paul Caligiuri 30 Diamond Bar 82 4 21 Fernando Clavijo 37 San Diego 58 0 4 Cle Kooiman 30 Ontario 10 1 22 Alexi Lalas 24 Detroit 45 5 2 Mike Lapper 23 Huntington Beach 39 1
MIDFIELDERS:
No Player Age Hometown Caps* Goals 5 Thomas Dooley 33 Mission Viejo 38 4 6 John Harkes 27 Kearny, N.J. 49 4 13 Cobi Jones 23 Westlake Village 49 5 19 Joe-Max Moore 23 Irvine 33 9 7 Hugo Perez 34 Mission Viejo 76 16 9 Tab Ramos 27 Kearny, N.J. 49 3 15 Claudio Reyna 20 Springfield, N.J. 16 2 16 Mike Sorber 23 St. Louis 35 2
FORWARDS:
No Player Age Hometown Caps* Goals 14 Frank Klopas 27 Chicago 30 9 8 Ernie Stewart 25 Point Arena, Calif. 16 2 10 Roy Wegerle 30 Tampa, Fla. 16 1 11 Eric Wynalda 24 Westlake Village 52 14
*--international matches
Coach: Bora Milutinovic
Assistant Coaches: Timo Liekoski, Steve Sampson, Sigi Schmid
Goalkeeper Coach: Milutin Soskic
