Tab Ramos leaves open U.S. U-20 roster spot for Arsenal's Zelalem

By foxsports
Published

NEW YORK -- U.S. coach Tab Ramos has left a spot open on his roster for the Under-20 World Cup, hoping to add Gedion Zelalem if FIFA allows the Arsenal midfielder to play for the Americans.

The 18-year-old Zelalem was born in Germany to Ethiopian parents and lived in Maryland for six years before going to Arsenal's youth academy when he was 16. He has appeared twice for the Gunners, both times as a second-half substitute: against Coventry in an FA Cup game Jan. 24, 2014, and versus Galatasaray in the Champions League last Dec. 9.

Zelalem obtained U.S. citizenship in December, and the U.S. Soccer Federation applied to FIFA to make him eligible for its national team system.

Ramos announced 20 players Thursday and must submit a 21-man roster to FIFA by May 15.

The roster includes Utrecht forward Rubio Rubin, who has made three appearances for the senior U.S. national team; 17-year-old Tottenham youth academy defender Cameron Carter-Vickers; Fulham midfielder Emerson Hyndman; New York Red Bulls defender Matthew Miazga; and Los Angeles Galaxy defender Bradford Jamieson IV.

Dallas midfielder Kellyn Acosta and Freiburg goalkeeper Zack Steffen also were on the roster for the 2013 Under-20 World Cup.

Players start reporting May 14 to Carson, California, and the team leaves two days later for a training camp in Australia. The U.S. opens the first round against Myanmar on May 30, plays host New Zealand on June 2 and finishes the first round against Ukraine on June 5.

The U.S. finished fourth at the 1989 tournament and reached the quarterfinals in 1993, 2003 and 2007.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Jeff Caldwell (University of Virginia), Ethan Horvath (Molde, Norway), Zack Steffen (Freiburg, Germany)

Defenders: Cameron Carter-Vickers (Tottenham, England), Matthew Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Shaquell Moore (no club), Erik Palmer-Brown (Kansas City), Desevio Payne (Groningen, Netherlands), John Requejo (Tijuana, Mexico)

Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Dallas), Paul Arriola (Tijuana, Mexico), Russell Canouse (Hoffenheim, Germany), Marco Delgado (Toronto), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham, England), Joel Sonora (Boca Juniors, Argentina)

Forwards: Jordan Allen (Salt Lake), Bradford Jamieson IV (Los Angeles), Rubio Rubin (Utrecht, Netherlands), Maki Tall (Red Star, France), Tommy Thompson (San Jose)