First steps, first.
Before the U.S. Men's National Team comes to Dick's Sporting Goods Park for the March 22 World Cup qualifying match against Costa Rica, they'll kick off the Hexagonal on the road at Honduras on Wed., Feb. 6. (live on beIN SPORT at 2 p.m. MT)
USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann today called in 24 European and North American-based players that will open the final round of qualifying in San Pedro Sula, providing Colorado fans a sample of the type of roster the U.S. will likely bring to Commerce City next month.
The 'big' names include Tottenham (England) forward Clint Dempsey, Racing Santander (Spain) defender Carlos Bocanegra, AZ Alkmaar (Netherland) forward Jozy Altidore, Roma (Italy) midfielder Michael Bradley, Everton (England) goalkeeper Tim Howard and Bursaspor (Turkey) midfielder Maurice Edu. Also on the roster are Anderlecht (Belgium) midfielder Sacha Kljestan, Tigres (Mexico) midfielder Jose Torres, and Nürnberg (Germany) defender Timmy Chandler.
Seven MLS players are also part of the camp: Matt Besler and Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire), and Brad Evan and Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders).
Colorado Rapids forward Edson Buddle was forced to leave the recent USMNT camp with a knee injury. Former Rapids forward Herculez Gomez, who plays for Santos Laguna in Mexico, did make the squad.
Wednesday match kicks off the 10-game round robin final stage which features the U.S, Honduras, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Panama, and Mexico and in which the top three countries will earn automatic berths to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. holds a 12-3-3 lifetime record against Honduras in a series dating back to 1965
The USMNT's first home match will be on March 22 against Costa Rica at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Tickets for the match in Colorado are not yet on sale.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION (World Cup qualifying Caps/Goals)
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa - 5/3 SO), Tim Howard (Everton - 22/9 SO), Sean Johnson (Chicago Fire - 0/0)
DEFENDERS (9): Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City - 0/0), Carlos Bocanegra (Racing Santander - 31/5), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City - 5/0), Edgar Castillo (Club Tijuana - 0/0), Timmy Chandler (Nürnberg - 0/0), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders - 0/0), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy - 0/0), Fabian Johnson (Hoffenheim - 3/0), Michael Parkhurst (Augsburg - 3/0)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Michael Bradley (Roma - 19/5), Brad Davis (Houston Dynamo - 0/0), Maurice Edu (Bursaspor - 9/0), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04 - 5/0), Sacha Kljestan (Anderlecht - 12/0), Jose Torres (Tigres UANL - 9/0), Danny Williams (Hoffenheim - 4/0), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City - 3/0)
FORWARDS (4): Jozy Altidore (AZ Alkmaar - 17/6), Clint Dempsey (Tottenham Hotspur - 26/10), Herculez Gomez (Santos Laguna - 6/2), Eddie Johnson (Seattle Sounders - 11/10)
