US adds youth for World Cup qualifier at Barbados

[TheGift]

CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. (AP)—U.S. coach Bob Bradley added youth to his roster for Sunday’s World Cup qualifier at Barbados, taking an opportunity to give players experience after opening an eight-goal lead in the home-and-home series.

Three players with no national team experience were among the 18 picked for the roster: goalkeepers Dominic Cervi and Chris Switz, and forward Chad Barrett. Midfielders Danny Szetela and John Thorrington have appeared in just one match apiece with the national team.

“We understand that we need to have a maturity about us to go and finish the job,” Bradley said Friday. “We also have the chance to give some different players an opportunity in World Cup qualifying, which we believe will keep us fresh and sharp.”

Goalkeeper Tim Howard is out with a sprained lower back and Eddie Johnson because of an unspecified illness.

Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Brian Ching, a trio that scored five of the eight goals last weekend, were allowed to skip this weekend’s game along with defender Steve Cherundolo, midfielders Maurice Edu, Frankie Hejduk and Pablo Mastroeni, and goalkeeper Matt Reis.

The winner of the second-round series advances to a semifinal group that is likely to include Cuba, which hosts Antigua and Barbuda after winning 4-3 on the road; Guatemala, which has a 6-0 lead against St. Lucia going into the second leg in Los Angeles; and Trinidad and Tobago, which lost 2-1 at home and must win at Bermuda.

The U.S. team was scheduled to travel to Barbados later Friday.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Dominic Cervi (no club), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (no club), Dan Califf (Midtjylland, Denmark), Jay DeMerit (Watford, England), Drew Moor (Dallas), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liege, Belgium), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany)

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland), Michael Bradley (Heerenveen, Netherlands), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Eddie Lewis (Derby County, England), Danny Szetela (Brescia, Italy), John Thorrington (Chicago)

Forwards: Freddy Adu (Benfica, Portugal), Chad Barrett (Chicago), Chris Rolfe (Chicago)

US adds youth for World Cup qualifier at Barbados - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports

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Reminder: This game (USA vs Barbados) is tommorow, June 22, 2008, it will be shown LIVE on ESPNClassic starting at 2:55 PM ET (United States Time).