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Youth brigade Quaranta, Johnson head U.S. U-17 world cup roster
ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- U.S. head coach John Ellinger on Tuesday announced a squad of 18 players to represent the U.S. at the FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Trinidad & Tobago. The tournament is set for September 13-30. Ellinger has called on 17 of the 18 players that represented the U.S. in their run through the CONCACAF qualifying tournament in St. Louis in April. "I think the team is very anxious to finally get out there and start the World Championship," Ellinger said. "This team has been preparing for this the last two years, and we are ready to put ourselves to the test. "I am confident that the players will perform to the best of their ability, and if that happens I think we can do something special in Trinidad and Tobago." The United States enters the 2001 World Championship on the heels of a fourth-place finish at the 1999 edition. Two players who will be at the heart of the side's efforts in the Caribbean are Ed Johnson and Santino Quaranta. The duo has put together strong numbers on the under-17 scene, including Ed Johnson's 15 goals in his last nine internationals. In his under-17 career, Johnson has scored 22 goals in 20 internationals. The U.S. is an undefeated 10-0-1 in internationals in which Johnson has scored. Quaranta is able to score goals as well as set them up. In seven international matches this year, the Baltimore native leads the U.S. with six assists. In June, Quaranta was the top scorer and named Most Valuable Player at the Theesen International Tournament in Bielefeld, Germany, playing against the youth squads of some of Germany's top clubs, including Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen. Quaranta and Johnson were both selected in the 2001 MLS Draft in February, with Quaranta being chosen in the first round by D.C. United (8th overall), and the Dallas Burn taking Johnson in the second round (19th overall). The two have made immediate contributions on the field. Quaranta, the youngest player ever to sign an MLS contract, is also the youngest player to score a goal; he was named MLS Player of the Week and started and played 90 minutes at the MLS All-Star Game. In 16 appearances with D.C., Quaranta has tallied five goals. Johnson, playing mainly as a sub with Dallas, scored his first professional goal in dramatic fashion, scoring an equalizer five minutes into added time against the New England Revolution on July 4. Johnson has tallied twice in his rookie season for the Burn. The youngest member of the U.S. is 16-year-old Craig Capano, who directs the U.S. attack from his spot in the central midfield. Capano has three assists and one goal in 2001 internationals and is one of just five U.S. players to play in 19 of the 20 internationals in the last two years. (Quaranta, Johnson, Jordan Harvey and Jordan Stone are the others). This summer, Capano teamed with Under-17 teammate Mike Magee to lead Chicago Sockers F.C. to the U.S. Youth Soccer Under-16 National Championship. Goalkeeper Adam Schuerman mans one of CONCACAF's top defenses. In the last two years, the U.S. has allowed just 25 goals in 19 internationals, and only twice have conceded more than two goals. Schuerman has been in the nets for 13 of the last fourteen international matches, and has a 9-2-2 record to go along with a 1.23 goals against average. The backline is headed by Chad Marshall, David Chun and captains Gray Griffin and Jordan Harvey. Chun is the only player on the World Championship roster who missed the qualifying tournament, where he was unable to play after suffering a knee injury Ellinger has an impressive record since taking over the U.S. under-17 program in 1998. The former Columbus Crew assistant coach guided the under-17s to a semifinal spot in the 1999 World Championship, compiling a 26-game unbeaten mark along the way. He assisted on the 2000 Olympic Team that advanced to the semifinals and has helped the current squad of under-17s roll to a 10-game winning streak. In his four-year stint at the helm of the Under-17s, Ellinger has compiled a 43-12-12 record in international matches. The World Championship will wrap up two years of training for many of the Under-17s. Twelve players named to the team for the World Championship began training together in the full-time residency program in January 2000, following the success of the first under-17 full-time residency program. Only forward Erwin Diaz was not a member of the residency program in 2001. The U.S. advanced to their ninth consecutive Under-17 World Championship (previously Under-16) with three convincing wins at the CONCACAF Group A qualifying tournament in St. Louis, Mo., in April. The U.S. outscored its opponents 10-3 and was led by Ed Johnson's five goals. The United States, the only team to qualify for all nine world championships, will play its three group games at Dwight Yorke Stadium just outside of Scarborough, Tobago. The AFC third-place finisher (Japan), UEFA runner-up (France) and CAF champion (Nigeria) will join the CONCACAF Group A champion U.S. in one of four first-round groups. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the quarterfinals. FIFA Under-17 World Championship ScheduleDate Matchup Kickoff Time Venue September 14 United States v Japan 5 p.m. ET Bacolet, Tobago September 16 United States v France 6:30 p.m. ET Bacolet, Tobago September 19 United States v Nigeria 5 p.m. ET Bacolet, Tobago September 23 Quarterfinals 5 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. ET Bacolet, Tobago September 27 Semifinals 5 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. ET Port of Spain/Malabar, Trinidad September 30 Final/Third Place Match 3 p.m. ET/6 p.m. ET Port of Spain, Trinidad RosterNo. Name Pos. Ht. Wt. Birthdate Hometown Club 18 Schuerman, Adam GK 5'10" 180 06/04/84 Brookfield, Wis. Elmbrook United 1 Williams, Ford GK 6'2" 165 02/20/84 Raleigh, N.C. CASL Caps Red 2 Chun, David D 5'8" 130 03/30/84 Irvine, Calif. Irvine Strikers 12 Griffin, Gray D 6'0" 170 01/02/84 Huntersville, N.C. Charlotte SC 8 Harvey, Jordan D 5'9" 150 01/28/84 Mission Viejo, Calif. Irvine Strikers 6 Lancos, Chris D 6'1" 160 07/12/84 Belford, N.J. Middletown Vipers 14 Marshall, Chad D 6'2" 165 08/22/84 Riverside, Calif. Arsenal 5 Wahl, Tyson D 6'0" 160 02/23/84 Newport Beach, Calif. Irvine Strikers 16 Capano, Craig M 5'4" 115 07/07/85 Hyde Park, N.Y. Chicago Sockers FC 13 Johnson, David M 5'11" 160 01/16/84 Riverside, Calif. AGSS 3 Mapp, Justin M 5'10" 140 10/18/84 Brandon, Miss. Jackson FC 11 Simo, Chefik M 5'11" 165 02/28/84 Plano, Texas Solar 15 Stone, Jordan M 5'9" 145 03/16/84 Allen, Texas Dallas Texans 17 Diaz, Erwin F 5'9" 145 07/11/84 Washington, D.C. Bethesda United 10 Johnson, Edward F 6'0" 170 03/31/84 Palm Coast, Fla. Dallas Burn - MLS 4 Johnson, Paul F 5'9" 150 01/22/84 Princeton, N.J. SSC Dalglish 7 Magee, Mike F 5'9" 150 09/02/84 Long Grove, Ill. Chicago Sockers FC 9 Quaranta, Santino F 5'11" 155 10/14/84 Baltimore, Md. D.C. United - MLS
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