da casino： The USMNT U23 squad for their March friendlies against France and Guinea has been revealed, with Cade Cowell and Gianluca Busio leading the way.
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USMNT U23 squad announcedPrimary group for Paris OlympicsCowell & McGuire highlight attackWHAT HAPPENED?
U.S. Soccer shared news that they brought in 22 players for the camp: two goalkeepers, seven defenders, six midfielders and seven forwards. Only 10 of the 22 selected have played a role in all three USMNT U23 training roster since head coach Marko Mitrovic started preparing his team for the summer games, with defenders Maximilian Dietz, Nathan Harriel, Bryan Reynolds, John Tolkin and Jonathan Tomkinson, midfielders Gianluca Busio, Jack McGlynn and Tanner Tessmann plus forwards Esmir Bajraktarevic and Johan Gomez all making the cut again.
Meanwhile, USMNT first-team capped players like Cowell, Busio and Duncan McGuire are now with this group again, and are likely locked in for roles at the Paris Games. Of the 22 selected, 15 have seen senior caps, with Busio's 13 leading the way.
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U23 goalkeeper Patrick Schulte has been a standout performer for the Columbus Crew over the past 12 months, and now has Premier League side Arsenal scouting him ahead of what is being touted as a breakout year for him. However, Chelsea loanee Gaga Slonina will be competing for minutes in net, with neither prepared to take the bench.
Meanwhile, fellow MLS standouts Diego Luna, Bajraktarevic and McGlynn will all be looking to push for a roster spot this summer as well.
The squad will have to be trimmed down ahead of a final decision this summer by Mitrovic and U.S. Soccer, while they will also have to determine if any of their U23 senior players like Yunus Musah, Gio Reyna, Johnny Cardoso or Ricardo Pepi will want to feature, too.
DID YOU KNOW?
For the Olympic Games, men's soccer rosters are limited to 18-persons, with it being a near strict U23 policy. However, teams are allowed to have four alternates, meaning squad sizes of 22 will be called up. Additionally, mens teams are allowed to call in three overage players above 23-years-old to bolster their roster and add a sense of leadership to what will be a relatively young squad.
Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT FOR THE U23 USMNT?
The squad has two upcoming friendlies during the international window starting next week, with the marquee matchup coming on March 25. They'll clash with France, who will be led by Thierry Henry on the touchline. Three days prior, they'll take on Guinea.