CASA GRANDE, Ariz. – U.S. Under-18 Men’s National Team head coach Javier Perez named an 18-player roster to travel to Limoges, France, for a four-team international tournament that will take place October 6th-14th. Included in the call up is Real Salt Lake Academy midfielder Corey Baird, who will face U-18 teams from the Czech Republic, France and Poland.
Baird and the other 17 players were selected from a 36-player training camp held the previous week at U.S. Soccer’s National Training Center in Carson, California. Three other Real Salt Lake Academy players: Justen Glad, Brooks Lennon and Sebastian Saucedo participated in the training camp and were not selected by Perez.
Baird will depart on Sunday, October 6th, for Paris, France. The team begins play on Wednesday, October 9th, against France at 10 a.m. and will face the Czech Republic on Friday, October 11th, at 6 a.m. The U-18’s wraps up tournament play on Sunday, October 13th, against Poland at 6 a.m. All matches times are listed in Arizona time and will take place at Parc Municipal des Sports de Beaublanc in Limoges.
Fifteen of the 18 players traveling to France currently play for Development Academy teams and Baird is one of 4 players who play for a MLS Academy team.
U.S. U-18 MNT ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (2) : Jeff Caldwell (NC Fusion; Todd, N.C.), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes; Alamo, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (5): Conor Donovan (Capital Area RailHawks Academy; Fuquay Varina, N.C.), Chase Gasper (Bethesda Olney; Alexandria, Va.), Shaquell Moore (IMG Academy; Powder Springs, Ga.), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting KC; Lee’s Summit, Mo.), Tommy Redding (Chicago Magic; Oviedo, Fla.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Mukwelle Akale (Minnesota Thunder; Minneapolis, Minn.), Corey Baird (Real Salt Lake AZ; Escondido, Calif.), Emerson Hyndman (Fulham FC; Plano, Texas), Kyle Scott (Chelsea FC; Winterbourne, Bristol), Ben Swanson (Crew Soccer Academy; Grove City, Ohio), Tyler Turner (IMG Academy; Meriden, Conn.)
FORWARDS (5): Andrija Novakovich (Chicago Magic PSG; Muskego, Wis.), Rubio Rubin (FC Utrecht; Beaverton, Ore.), Ahinga Selemani (CSA Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Alan Winn (Solar Chelsea SC; Garland, Texas), Dembakwi Yomba (Concorde Fire; Lithona, Ga.)