CHICAGO — Team captain Clint Dempsey and midfielder Alejandro Bedoya were left off the U.S. soccer team roster for exhibitions in Europe against world powers Netherlands and Germany.
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann said Sunday that Dempsey will remain in Seattle awaiting the birth of his fourth child, and that Bedoya is recovering from a knee injury. Forward Jozy Altidore also remains sidelined as he recovers from a hamstring injury.
Seattle Sounders midfielder Brad Evans was included on the team.
The United States plays the sixth-ranked Netherlands on June 5 in Amsterdam and takes on defending World Cup champion Germany on June 10 in Cologne.
These are two of the team’s final three exhibitions before starting play in the Gold Cup on July 7 against Honduras.
Eight of the players chosen have 10 or fewer international appearances for the U.S. team.
“Playing against top teams like Germany and the Netherlands provides valuable experience, especially for the younger players here,” Klinsmann said. “More and more they must understand we come to meet these opponents eye to eye. Obviously, it’s a bit tricky when we are without some of our core players, but that creates a huge opportunity for the guys here to benchmark themselves against some of the best players in the world.”
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)
Defenders: Ventura Alvarado (Club America), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)
Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt), Danny Williams (Reading)
Forwards: Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Aron Johannsson (AZ Alkmaar), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
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