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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, May 24, 2009

Brian Ching named to U.S. soccer training roster for World Cup qualifiers


Associated Press

CHICAGO — Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Jozy Altidore headed a 24-man roster announced today to train for the United States before World Cup qualifiers next month against Costa Rica and Honduras.

Also named to the roster was Houston forward Brian Ching, a Kamehameha alum from Hale'iwa.

The U.S. team will be at nearly full strength for the games. Right back Steve Cherundolo is sidelined following hip surgery last month and forward Eddie Johnson was bypassed by coach Bob Bradley.

Altidore, who scored three goals in the April 1 qualifying win over Trinidad and Tobago, is on the roster following surgery on both big toes April 16.

Seven players are in Major League Soccer, and five are based in England. Two each are in Denmark, France, Germany and Scotland, and one each in Belgium, Mexico, Spain and Sweden.

In addition to the roster, Aston Villa defender Erich Lichaj and Kaiserslautern goalkeeper Luis Robles have been invited to their first national team training camp.

The U.S. team, seeking its sixth straight Worl d Cup berth, plays at Costa Rica on June 3 and then hosts Honduras three days later at Chicago's Solider Field. The Americans plan to announce their roster for the Confederations Cup on June 7, a day before leaving for the eight-nation World Cup warmup tournament in South Africa where they play world champion Italy (June 15), Brazil (June 18) and Egypt (June 21).

The United States (2-0-1) leads the final round of qualifying in North and Central America and the Caribbean with seven points, one ahead of Costa Rica (2-1), three in front of Honduras (1-1-1), four ahead of Mexico (1-2) and five in front of El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago (both 0-1-2).

The top three teams qualify and the No. 4 nation meets South America's No. 5 team for another berth.

MLS players will report after matches next weekend and goalkeeper Tim Howard will report after Everton plays Chelsea in the English FA Cup final at Wembley on May 30. Midfielders DaMarcus Beasley and Maurice Ed u will join up after Glasgow Rangers faces Falkirk next weekend in the Scottish FA Cup final, and Jose Francicso Torres would report late if Pachuca advances to the finals of the Mexican league playoffs.

THE ROSTER

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Tim Howard (Everton, England)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Danny Califf (Midtjylland, Denmark), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege, Belgium), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England), Marvell Wynne (Toronto)

Midfielders: Freddy Adu (Monaco), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus, Denmark), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca, Mexico)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Xerez, Spain), Brian Ching (Houston), Charlie Davies (Hammarby, Sweden), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles)