The United States roster for two upcoming World Cup qualifiers has been announced, and D.C. United defender Steve Birnbaum is on the list of 26 players Jurgen Klinsmann has called in. The USMNT has games September 2nd at St. Vincent and the Grenadines and September 6th in Jacksonville, FL against Trinidad and Tobago. Birnbaum will miss the D.C.’s match at New York City FC on September 1st, but barring injury should be back for the September 11th visit to Red Bull Arena.
Birnbaum is the sole D.C. player to make the roster, as goalkeeper Bill Hamid did not make the group; Ethan Horvath is the third goalkeeper on the roster behind Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids) and Brad Guzan (Middlesborough). Former D.C. player Perry Kitchen, now at Heart of Midlothian in Scotland was also left off the roster.
The 26 player list is as follows:
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough), Ethan Horvath (Molde FC), Tim Howard (Colorado Rapids)
DEFENDERS (9): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Steve Birnbaum (D.C. United), John Brooks (Hertha BSC), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Monchengladbach), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), DeAndre Yedlin (Newcastle United)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Paul Arriola (Club Tijuana), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia Union), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Jermaine Jones (Colorado Rapids), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund), Caleb Stanko (FC Vaduz), Graham Zusi (Sporting Kansas City)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Jordan Morris (Seattle Sounders FC), Rubio Rubin (FC Utrecht), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Bobby Wood (Hamburg SV)