CHICAGO (AP) - Chicago Fire midfielder Djordje Mihailovic is among 24 players invited to the U.S. under-23 training camp leading to Olympic qualifying. Mihailovic played for the U.S. senior team at this year’s CONCACAF Gold Cup.
The U.S. is preparing for a Sept. 9 exhibition against Japan at Chula Vista, California. The American men failed to qualify for the past two Olympics. Qualifying for the 2020 Tokyo Games will take place from March 20 to April 1 at Guadalajara, Mexico.
Men’s Olympic soccer qualifying is limited to players born on or after Jan. 1, 1997. Eight age-eligible players are to train with the senior national team next week before exhibitions against Mexico and Uruguay: defenders Reggie Cannon, Sergiño Dest and Miles Robinson; midfielders Weston McKennie, Paxton Pomykal, Christian Pulisic and Jackson Yueill; and forward Josh Sargent.
In addition, midfielders Tyler Adams and Tim Weah are injured.
While FIFA requires clubs to release players to senior national teams during international windows, soccer’s rules leave the decision to clubs on whether to release players to youth national teams.
The U.S. team is coached by Jason Kreis. Winners of the two semifinals in the North and Central American and Caribbean region qualify for the Olympic soccer tournament, to be played from July 23 to Aug. 8. At the Olympics, each men’s national teams can include up to three players over the age limit on its 20-man roster.
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Matt Freese (Philadelphia), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose), Andrew Thomas (Stanford; London).
Defenders: Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls), Justen Glad (Salt Lake), Chris Gloster (PSV Eindhoven, Netherlands), Niko Hamalainen (Kilmarnock, Scotland), Aaron Herrera (Salt Lake), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia), Donovan Pines (D.C.), Auston Trusty (Philadelphia).
Midfielders: Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia), Edwin Cerrillo (Dallas), Hassani Dotson (Minnesota), Alex Mendez (Ajax, Netherlands), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago), Brandon Servania (Dallas).
Forwards: Omir Fernandez (New York Red Bulls), Jesus Ferreira (Dallas), Brooks Lennon (Salt Lake), Sebastian Saucedo (Salt Lake), Sebastian Soto (Hannover, Germany), Mason Toye (Minnesota), Haji Wright (Venlo, Netherlands).
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