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Ten USL Alumni Called Up to U.S. U20 Squad

By USLSoccer.com Staff, 01/31/17, 4:09PM EST

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Final camp prior to CONCACAF U20 Championship includes Mansaray, Adams, Craft

CHICAGO – 2016 USL 20 Under 20 selections Victor Mansaray of Seattle Sounders FC 2 and Tyler Adams of the New York Red Bulls II were among 10 players with USL experience named in a 24-player U.S. U20 National Team training camp that kicks off on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla.

The camp marks the final preparation for the squad prior to the announcement of the 20-player squad that will represent the United States at the 2017 CONCACAF U20 Championship in Costa Rica, which also serves as qualification for the 2017 FIFA U20 World Cup in South Korea this May.

“Our objective for this camp is to continue our preparation for the U-20 World Cup qualifiers,” said U.S. U20 Head Coach Tab Ramos. “After having a fitness camp followed by a camp with a combination of fitness and local games, now we are looking to get into game rhythm and select the final roster.”

Mansaray, who was selected as the No. 1 player in the 2016 USL 20 Under 20, recorded five goals and two assists in 19 appearances during the 2016 USL regular season. The Sounders Homegrown signing is joined in by former Charleston Battery loanee Jeremy Ebobisse, who had a goal and assist in his five appearances for the Battery last season prior to being selected with the No. 4 pick of the 2017 MLS SuperDraft by the Portland Timbers.

2016 USL Cup champion Tyler Adams, who took the No. 5 spot  in the 2016 USL 20 Under 20, has been a consistent presence in Ramos’ recent squads in the build-up to the tournament. The first signing in Red Bulls II history in 2015, Adams made 29 regular-season appearances over the past two USL regular seasons, and started in each of the club’s postseason contests on the way to the USL Cup this past October.

Adams is joined in the squad’s midfield contingent by Coy Craft, who earned the No. 11 selection in the 2016 USL 20 Under 20 after impressing on loan with OKC Energy FC last season from FC Dallas. Former Real Monarchs SLC players Danilo Acosta and Sebastian Saucedo are also named in the group, as is defender Justen Glad to round out a trio of players named from the Real Salt Lake organization.

Recent LA Galaxy Homegrown signing Hugo Arellano, who joined the MLS side after turning professional with the LA Galaxy II last summer, is also included in the defensive group, as is former Bethlehem Steel FC and current Philadelphia Union Homegrown center back Auston Trusty. Orlando City SC defender Tommy Redding, who began his career with the Lions in the USL in 2014, rounds out the group.

The final 20-player squad will be announced at the conclusion of the camp from the full U20 player pool. The U.S. will then kick off the group stage of the 2017 CONCACAF U20 Championship on February 18 against Panama, with games against Haiti (Feb. 21) and St. Kitts & Nevis (Feb. 24) rounding out the group stage. The top two teams from the group will advance to the second round, where the top two teams from two three-team groups will advance to the FIFA U20 World Cup.  

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