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The Honolulu Advertiser
Updated at 4:02 p.m., Sunday, March 23, 2008

Brian Ching picked for U.S. soccer team against Poland

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Haleiwa's Brian Ching was among 18 players picked for the United States soccer team's exhibition game at Poland on Wednesday.

Ching, a Kamehameha Schools alum, is a member of the two-time defending champion Houston Dynamo of Major League Soccer.

Just three players were chosen from MLS:, Los Angeles forward Landon Donovan and Houston teammates Ching and Ricardo Clark. Donovan would be making his 99th international appearance.

Ching hasn't played for the national team since last June's victory over Mexico in the final of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Ching and the Dynamo played in last month's Pan-Pacific Championships at Aloha Stadium.

Fulham teammates Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Eddie Johnson also were selected.

Derby midfielders Benny Feilhaber and Eddie Lewis also were selected when coach Bob Bradley announced his roster tonight. Watford defender Jay DeMerit returns for the first time since last August's exhibition game at Sweden.

Charlton defender Cory Gibbs is back for the first time since he was dropped from the 2006 World Cup roster after injuring a knee that May against Morocco.

Defender Jonathan Spector also is on the roster after starting for the U.S. under-23 team when it beat Canada 3-0 to qualify for the Olympics last Thursday in Nashville, Tenn. He returned to England after that match and entering in the 82nd minute of West Ham's 1-1 tie Saturday at Everton.

Also selected was Heerenveen midfielder Michael Bradley — the coach's son — who has 19 goals in all competitions this season.

The Americans are 3-14-3 in Europe since April 1999, defeating Poland in March 2004 at Plock and March 2006 at Kaiserslautern, Germany, then winning at Switzerland last October.

The U.S. team beat Sweden 2-0 and tied Mexico 2-2 in its first two games this year. The Americans play exhibitions at England on May 28 and at Spain on June 4, then may host Argentina on June 8 at East Rutherford, N.J.

The United States opens World Cup qualifying against Barbados or Dominica on June 15 at Carson, Calif. Poland is preparing for June's European Championship, where it is in a first-round group with co-host Austria, Germany and Croatia.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Marcus Hahnemann (Reading, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, England), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Cory Gibbs (Charlton Athletic, England), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege, England), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England)

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Ricardo Clark (Houston), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Benny Feilhaber (Derby, England), Eddie Lewis (Derby, England)

Forwards: Brian Ching (Houston), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Eddie Johnson (Fulham, England), Josh Wolff (1860 Munich, Germany)