After touching down in Tennessee afternoon, Loudoun United made two more signings official, inking midfielders Sandor Bustamante and Collin Verfurth to deals. More on them in a second.
USL rules state that teams have to submit a 23-man gameday squad to the USL and to opponents at least 48 hours before kick. Whether the roster posted on the USL website is an accurate reflection or not, Loudoun’s roster page lists D.C. United players Griffin Yow, Bryang Kayo, Elian Nalerio and Allexon Saravia on it. Whether they traveled with Loudoun remains to be seen (goalkeeper Earl Edwards Jr. is on the roster but was not loaned to Loudoun this week), but it should be noted that 5 Academy players who have not competed in an NCAA/NAIA program can play in the USL and not count to an overall roster. Any more than 5 will begin to count to this total, but given that Loudoun’s roster stands at 18 without Edwards (4 of Loudoun’s 5 international signings have not received their visas yet), it would be reasonable to assume the quartet may be part of Loudoun’s first game.
Both Verfurth and Bustamante were in Loudoun’s two scrimmages and both are part of their gameday squad tomorrow. Verfurth turns 23 today and is listed as a midfielder, though the 6-foot-4 Loudoun resident and Virginia Tech graduate played in defense next to 6-foot-3 Harri Hawkins. With 6-foot-5 Donovan Pines at center back also, all of whom are just behind 6-foot-6 goalkeeper Calle Brown, crosses into the box could be an intriguing premise. The 19-year-old Bustamante played four years at D.C.’s Academy and played on the wings for both games. Whether he makes way for his brother Antonio Bustamante in the lineup remains to be seen.
Loudoun kicks their first ever game off against Nashville SC at 8pm tomorrow.