Whitecaps FC Residency goalkeeper Chituru Odunze has been called up for a United States U-17 national team international training camp in San Jose, Costa Rica from August 2 to 13. The USA will play Concacaf counterparts Mexico and Costa Rica two times apiece.
Odunze holds a British passport, as well as citizenship in the United States, and is working on receiving his Canadian citizenship. After growing up in London, England, he moved to Calgary in his youth and came through Calgary Foothills FC following time with Calgary Blizzard and Calgary Villains. The 6-foot-6 goalkeeper has made 17 starts for the Whitecaps FC U-17 Residency team in the Development Academy this season.
The USA will first face Mexico on August 6, followed by Costa Rica the next day. After two days of rest, the U-17 MNT will face Los Ticos on August 10 before concluding with El Tri two days later.
U.S. head coach John Hackworth has called up 23 players for the international friendlies; Odunze was also called up to the U.S. camp last June.
“Being able to travel to Central America and play two of the best teams in Concacaf gives our players and staff the opportunity to evaluate exactly where we are at in this point of the cycle,” Hackworth stated. “In addition, we continue to grow the 2002/2003 pool by selecting a few players that will represent the U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team for the first time. As we move closer to World Cup qualifying, this experience is invaluable as it is impossible to replicate what playing opponents like Mexico and Costa Rica in Central America is really like until you actually do it. The lessons these young men will learn on this trip will help them tremendously as they continue to develop.”
U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2):Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), Chituru Odunze (Vancouver Whitecaps FC Residency; Calgary Alberta)
DEFENDERS (9):Axel Alejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.), Michael Barragan (Atlas FC; Guadalajara, Mexico), Jahlane Forbes (Orlando City SC; Clermont, Fla.), Tayvon Gray (New York City FC; Bronx, N.Y.), Kobe Hernandez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Mason Judge (Chargers Soccer Club, Tampa, Fla.), Antino Lopez (Shattuck-Saint Mary's; Las Vegas, Nev.), Joseph Scally (New York City F.C.; Lake Grove, N.Y.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.)
MIDFIELDERS (5):Luis Flores (Shattuck- Saint Mary's; Half Moon Bay, Calif.), Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Giovanni Reyna (New York City FC; Bedford Corners, N.Y.), Adam Saldana (LA Galaxy; Panorama City, Calif.), Peter Stroud (West Ham United; Chester, N.J.)
FORWARDS (7): Sagir David Arce (Monarcas Moreila; Chihuahua, Mexico), Tyler Freeman (Sporting Kansas City; Shawnee, Kan.), Andres Jasson (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Diego Lopez (Atlanta United FC; Chino, Calif.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Fresno, Calif.), Benjamin Redzic (FC Dallas; Carrollton, Texas), Ray Serrano (Seattle Sounders FC; Graham, Wash.)
The roster is mostly made up of players born in 2002 – the birth-year cutoff for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup – and one born in 2003 (Freeman).
