COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (Wednesday, May 16, 2012) – Colorado Rapids Academy midfielder Dillon Serna of Brighton has been named to the United States Under-18 National Team roster for the upcoming Lisbon International Tournament, which takes place in Portugal from May 23-26. U.S. U-18 head coach Javier Perez named Serna in his 20-player squad, which was announced today.
“Dillon has been a standout in our Academy, and has improved greatly training with the first team in recent months,” said Colorado Rapids Technical Director Paul Bravo. “Opportunities like this one with the United States U-18 Team will only give him more experience and further his development.”
The U.S. will travel on May 17 and play a friendly against Sporting Lisbon on May 19. The U.S. will kick off tournament play against Poland on May 23, and face Slovakia the next day before closing against host Portugal on May 26. The other three teams in the tournament will field Under-19 teams.
The U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team does not compete in any world championships, but instead serves as a transition between the U-17 and U-20 Men’s National Teams, which both compete in World Cup cycles. In 2012, the U-18 MNT will be comprised of players born on or after Jan. 1, 1994, making them eligible to compete in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
U.S. U-18 MNT Roster By Position
GOALKEEPERS (2): Ethan Horvath (Real Colorado Academy; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zackary Steffen (FC DELCO Academy; Downington, Pa.)
DEFENDERS (6): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake Academy; Rochester, N.Y.), Robert Michael Amick (De Anza Force Soccer Academy; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Mobi Fehr (FC Basel; Tokyo, Japan), Dylan Greenberg (Albertson SC Academy; Dix Hills, N.Y.), Trevor Haberkorn (Solar Chelsea Soccer Academy; Keller, Texas), Malcom Harris (Baltimore Bays Chelsea; Damascus, Md.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas Academy; Plano, Texas), Russell Cannouse (Hoffenheim, Germany; Achtzehn Akademie, Germany), Marco Delgado (Chivas USA Academy; Glendora, Calif.), Matthew Dunn (OFK Belgrade; Dallas, Texas), Alejandro Guido (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy, Brighton, Colo.)
FORWARDS (6): Paul Arriola (Arsenal FC Academy; Chula Vista, Calif.), Jack McBean (LA Galaxy; Balboa Island, Calif.), Andrew Oliver (Chicago Fire Academy; Indianapolis, Ind.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Esteban Rodriguez (Club Tijuana; Palmdale, Calif.), Ben Spencer (Chivas USA Academy; Albuquerque, N.M.)
