ESPNsoccernet - US - U.S. U-20s aim to make their mark in Egypt

ESPNsoccernet: US

Monday, September 14, 2009
U.S. U-20s aim to make their mark in Egypt

Brent Latham

They've heard the comments.

Kyle Davies is now a regular starter in MLS for Dallas. (Mike Stobe/GettyImages)

The current edition of the American U-20 national team has been reminded repeatedly of its lack of star power compared to previous U.S. teams at this age level. When the FIFA U-20 World Cup kicks off later this month in Egypt (Sept. 24-Oct. 16), the team will have its chance to change all that on the fields of North Africa.

"Most comments about the roster are that it is much weaker than the one in the last U-20 World Cup," said midfielder and recent addition Mikkel Diskerud. "Even though the work is cut out for us, I have seen enough of this squad to believe that comments like that will just ignite us, at least when it comes to effort and achievements."

But in the meantime, while this year's team is loaded with potential, most of the players are yet to make a name for themselves professionally, either in the United States or in Europe.

"There aren't too many players on this roster that you say, these six or seven are definites, because they are playing in MLS every day, or in Europe," coach Thomas Rongen said by phone as the team prepared to head to Cyprus for a pre-tournament training camp. "We've become a little bit more blue-collar, versus the other groups that were different in their technical and tactical makeup."

While a workmanlike approach may not inspire the imagination in the same way the zigzagging runs of Freddy Adu or the finishing of Jozy Altidore did for quarterfinalists at the 2007 U-20 World Cup in Canada, Rongen is confident in his present team's ability to play as a unit.

"Team is the word," the coach said. "We've proven that we are a hard team to play against. We are a team that can absorb some pressure and go forward with some athleticism."

U.S. U-20 men's schedule
Sept. 26 U.S. vs. Germany Mubarek Stadium; Suez, Egypt 10 a.m. ET, ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com Sept. 29 U.S. vs. Cameroon Mubarek Stadium; Suez, Egypt 12:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com Oct. 2 U.S. vs. South Korea Mubarek Stadium; Suez, Egypt 12:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

U.S. U-20 men's schedule

Sept. 26
U.S. vs. Germany
Mubarek Stadium; Suez, Egypt
10 a.m. ET, ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com

Sept. 29
U.S. vs. Cameroon
Mubarek Stadium; Suez, Egypt
12:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

Oct. 2
U.S. vs. South Korea
Mubarek Stadium; Suez, Egypt
12:45 p.m. ET, ESPN2, ESPN360.com

That team approach starts from the back, where Rongen hopes that a solid defensive foundation and steady goalkeeping will keep his squad in games, while the midfield and forwards pick their opportunities. The Americans are in for a stern test in Egypt, having been placed in a tough group alongside European champion Germany, African runner-up Cameroon and perennial Asian power South Korea.

With that in mind, here's a look at how the American team breaks down:

Goalkeepers

Given the defense-first orientation, goalkeeper play will go a long way toward defining the level of success of the Americans in Egypt. The team has a good No. 1 in UCLA's Brian Perk, who starred in the CONCACAF regional qualifying tournament earlier this year in Trinidad and Tobago, keeping four clean sheets through three group games and the semifinal before giving way to his backups for the final. Aside from quick reflexes, Perk also has some experience on the U-20 stage, having filled in for an injured Chris Seitz for one game in the 2007 World Cup.

"He's seen a lot of things, and he got to play in the last version of the World Cup," defender Ike Opara said. "He helps out as far as the back line and picks up on things we may miss. And he's always capable of the big save. So having him in goal is a huge plus for us."

Perk will be the main figure in front of the net in Egypt, and he is backed up capably by FC Dallas' Josh Lambo and the imposing Sean Johnson of the University of Central Florida, whose 6-foot-4, 220-pound frame helps make him a promising future talent.

Defenders

In Egypt, Rongen will rely on a defensive corps high on potential and raw physical ability. Kyle Davies, who has become a regular in the center of defense for FC Dallas after joining MLS from the youth academy of English League One side Southampton earlier this year, is the most experienced of the bunch, and will likely anchor the back four.

Fellow centerback Opara, from Wake Forest University, contributes athleticism and the potential to organize and lead the defense. After missing the qualifying tournament with an injury, though, Opara will have to win back his spot from recent Miami FC signing Gale Agbossoumonde, who filled in well in Opara's absence.

"There are definitely a lot of good options at centerback," Opara said. "It's better to have competition from other players to try to play than have it easy. So I'm looking forward to it."

On the flanks, Sheanon Williams is penciled in as the starter on the right. The defense suffered a huge blow when FC Dallas' Anthony Wallace, the most experienced player on the team at the U-20 level, having seen action in four of the Americans' five matches in Canada two years ago, was counted out with a knee injury. Wallace was the certain starter at left back, and Rongen will now likely be forced to use the versatile but less experienced Jorge Flores there instead. Aaron Maund will play a backup role in the center.

Midfielders

Choosing a lineup from a large and diverse group of midfield players will be one of Rongen's primary challenges. The coach selected eight midfielders for the squad, a number that rose further when forward Sam Garza was replaced by Bryan Arguez after tearing ligaments in his knee, and Wallace's spot was filled by Chivas USA's Gerson Mayen.

Like the defense, the midfield is short on experience, with a few notable exceptions. One is Diskerud, who plays for Stabaek IF of Norway's top division. The dual-Norwegian citizen has been too busy with his club -- appearing regularly in the Norwegian league and Champions League qualifiers this season -- to play much with his American teammates.

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"We need to integrate him as quickly as possible, because he's a good player, a quality player that can help us," Rongen said of the 18-year-old.

Like the other midfielders who will see extensive time in Egypt, Diskerud is versatile, and comfortable on the flanks or in the middle of the field. When Diskerud is out wide, Dilly Duka, a revelation of the qualifying tournament, is likely to see extended time in the center, a role Arguez could also fill if he wins back Rongen's confidence.

Whomever Rongen chooses to put on the flanks, the midfield will center around another Europe-based player, Jared Jeffrey, who is a reserve at Belgium team Club Brugge.

"We have a lot of unique players," Wallace said of the attack. "They have a very unique style to their play, and in the end that will help us because it will surprise a lot of people. They don't expect American players to be very skillful and creative, but we have some guys that can do some things."

Mayen and the Houston Dynamo's Danny Cruz will support the attack from the wings, while collegiate players Michael Stephens of UCLA, Dillon Powers of Notre Dame, and Brian Ownby of Virginia will contend for time off the bench.

Forwards

Striker is the thinnest position on the roster, with Garza's injury leaving just two true forwards -- FC Dallas' Peri Marosevic, and Tony Taylor of Jacksonville University. To fill the void, Rongen will call on versatile FC Dallas attacker Brek Shea as the probable pairing for club and country teammate Marosevic up front and will use Taylor's speed off the bench.

"Peri and I do a good job of playing together," said Shea, who, like his teammates, spoke by phone. "We practice a lot together in Dallas."

If Rongen opts for a three-man front line, Shea could play on the left with Cruz pushing up on the right. Rongen emphasized that whoever the choices are in the attack, they will need to take advantage of their chances if the team is to advance out of the tough group.

"Possessing the ball more and finishing in the final third is an area we definitely need to get better at, in order to make some noise in the World Cup," Rongen said.

If the players Rongen has chosen can manage to defend solidly and find the net regularly for a few weeks, they will not only make some noise, but they will also leave Egypt with considerably more of that elusive star power.

Brent Latham covers U.S. soccer for ESPNsoccernet. Based in Dakar, Senegal, he also covers West Africa for Voice of America radio and can be reached at brentlatham@ymail.com.