On Friday while the Seattle Sounders are taking on the Vancouver Whitecaps DeAndre Yedlin will be watching from a East Hartford area hotel. The young right back was one of 21 players called into camp by United States coach Jurgen Klinsmann. If Yedlin plays it will be his eighth cap.
With the Cascadia Cup on the line and an injury affected backline Sigi Schmid will be without Yedlin. That means even more lineup shuffling, but he will have the week to figure out the solution to a defense that could be missing three starters.
The October 10th match is Landon Donovan's going away party, the final time he will wear the Red, White and Blue as a player. The roster celebrating him is mainly younger and includes LA Galaxy centerback Omar Gonzalez. It is notable that Clint Dempsey will not be saying goodbye to his long-time teammate in this ceremonial match.
Six MLS players were called up for the first game. D.C. United and Real Salt Lake both lose their starting keepers (Hamid, Rimando). RSL also will be without rotational player Luis Gil. Salt Lake plays the 11th, while DC and LA play on the 12th. Their players could be back for those league games.
Minnesotta United SC's forward Miguel Ibarra did get the call.
The remaining roster is mainly European and mainly young. There are three Liga MX Americans traveling to New England. US Soccer did say that the second match of the international window against Honduras on October 14th will see changes to the roster.
"We look at these two games as an opportunity to take a picture of the player pool as it stands now," said Klinsmann via press release. "Already the hierarchy starts to shift in some ways, which is normal at the beginning of a cycle. We are excited to look at this group against a very competitive team like Ecuador, and then we will have a chance to bring some different faces for the game against Honduras. Obviously, it's going to be a special night on Friday as everyone in the U.S. Soccer family will have the chance to honor the amazing career of Landon Donovan."
Only Houston and New England play midweek after the Honduras game.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (7): John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Timmy Chandler (Eintracht Frankfurt), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Puebla), Tim Ream (Bolton Wanderers), DeAndre Yedlin (Seattle Sounders FC)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (Rosenborg), Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake), Julian Green (Hamburg), Alfredo Morales (Ingolstadt)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Sunderland), Landon Donovan (LA Galaxy), Joe Gyau (Borussia Dortmund), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Bobby Wood (1860 Munich)