(Reuters) – Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley are among the names not on the roster for Landon Donovan’s national team farewell match against Ecuador on Friday, according to the squad named by U.S. head coach Juergen Klinsmann yesterday.
With Dempsey and Bradley among the crop of players who have key Major League Soccer matches this weekend, Klinsmann is going with a 21-man squad that he expects to make several changes to before next week’s friendly against Honduras.
“We look at these two games as an opportunity to take a picture of the player pool as it stands now,” Klinsmann said in a statement.
“We are excited to look at this group against a very competitive team like Ecuador, and then we will have a chance to bring some different faces for the game against Honduras.”
Donovan, the all-time top scorer for the United States, was omitted from Klinsmann’s World Cup squad earlier this year and the attacking midfielder subsequently said he would retire after the current MLS season.
However, Donovan, who is set to earn his 157th international cap, agreed to play one last international so fans could give him an appropriate farewell.
U.S. squad:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
Defenders: John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
Midfielders: Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt)
Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)
