US coach Jurgen Klinsmann on Saturday named an experienced 23-man squad for next week’s shoot-out against Mexico for a place in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
Klinsmann, still smarting from his side’s elimination on home soil from the Gold Cup in July, is banking on the bulk of the squad who reached the knockout stages of last year’s World Cup.
The US face Mexico in a play-off match at the Pasadena Rose Bowl in California on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the Confederations Cup in Russia, an effective test run for the 2018 World Cup.
“This roster is obviously full of experience,” Klinsmann said.
“This is about having a group of players who understand exactly now what this is all about,” he said. “This is about momentum. This is about high energy. This is about representing my country. This is about belief and a high-level of aggressiveness in a one-off game to beat Mexico and to get to the Confederations Cup.”
“It’s a unique opportunity, and you have to embrace it and give everything you have,” he added.
The US squad contains seven players with 50 or more caps and four — DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard — who have made more than 100 appearances for the US.
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