By Mike Woitalla
@MikeWoitalla
It was last January when ChristianPulisic, now a regular in Borussia Dortmund’s starting lineup, made his Bundesliga debut at age 17. If we soon see another U.S. teen play in Germany’s top tier, it may be TexanMcKinze Gaines, who signed with VfL Wolfsburg upon turning 18 last March.
Gaines, who played with Pulisic on the U.S. U-17 national team in the qualifying tournament butwasn’t on the 2015 U-17 World Cup squad, played for Lone Star SC while going on trial with Wolfsburg in 2015.
He joined the Volkswagen club in January but didn’t become eligible tosign until his 18th birthday. With Wolfsburg’s U-19 team, Gaines has five goals and five assists in 11 games with an undefeated Wolves team that sits in second place of Nord/Nordost standings.He played for Wolfsburg U-23s in their 3-0 Premier League International Cup victory over Leicester City Oct. 12 and has made three appearances for the first team in friendlies.
Gaines saw 12minutes of action in a 1-0 win over second division Dynamo Dresden in September and played 40 minutes in a 6-2 win over minor league Lupo/Martini. On Wednesday, in Valerien Ismael‘sfirst game in charge since being promoted to head coach after an interm stint following the sacking of Dieter Hacking, Gaines came on in the 87th minute of a 3-1 loss to Union Berlin.Gaines was one of only two U-19s called up for the game.
Ismael had previously served as Wolfsburg’s U-23 coach, thus is familiar with Gaines. Wolfsburg is 14th in the Bundesligastandings and alive in the DFB Pokal.
U.S. Class of 2016 in Germany’s Junior (U-19) Bundesliga
Haji Wright (Schalke 04) 7 goals 4assists in 9 games
McKinze Gaines (Wolfsburg) 5 goals and 5 assists in 11 games
Weston McKennie (Schalke 04) 2 goals in 9 games
WillPulisic (Borussia Dortmund) Goalkeeper has played 3 games
U.S. U-14 girls to face ODP teams
Coach April Kater has named a 24-player U.S. U-14 girls national team roster for the U.S. Youth Soccer ODP GirlsThanksgiving Interregional tournament in Sunrise, Florida at which Kater’s team will compete against regional ODP teams from all four regions.
Sixteen of the players called up by Katerwere born in 2002, seven players born in 2003 and one in 2004. Their opponents will be teams comprised of players born in 2000.
U.S. U-14 THANKSGIVINGINTERREGIONAL SCHEDULE
Nov. 20 vs. Region IV (West)
Nov. 21 vs. Region III (South)
Nov. 23 vs. Region II (Midwest)
Nov. 25 vs. Region I (East)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Mia Justus (PDA; North Brunswick, N.J.), Stephanie Sparkowski (East Meadow Soccer Club; EastMeadow, N.Y.).
DEFENDERS (6): Baleigh Bruster (Tophat SC; Smyrna, Ga.), Kayla Colbert (Arsenal FC; Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.), Samar Guidry (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas), IsabelLoza (Arsenal FC; La Mirada, Calif.), Emily Mason (PDA; Flemington, N.J.), Emily Royson (PDA; Toms River, N.J.).
MIDFIELDERS (9): Erin Carlton (Concorde Fire; Powder Springs,Ga.), Talia DellaPeruta (Tophat SC; Cumming, Ga.), Devi Dudley (Utah Celtic FC; American Fork, Utah), Emma Egizil (Beach FC; Downey, Calif), Jillian Martinez (Lonestar SC; San Antonio, Texas), JaidenMcClellan (Crossfire United Oregon; Wilsonville, Ore.), Alexis Missimo (Solar; Southlake, Texas), Michaela Rosenbaum (Santa Rosa United; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Allyson Sentnor (South Shore Select;Hanson, Mass).
FORWARDS (7): Trinity Byars (Soccer FC; Richardson, Texas), Kailyn Dudukovich (Cincinnati United; West Chester, Ohio), Dilary Heredia-Beltran (Sporting BlueValley; Overland Park, Kans.), Samantha Kroeger (World Class FC; West Milford, N.J.), Aryssa Mahrt (FC Wisconsin Eclipse; Wauwatosa, Wisc.), Trinity Rodman (Blues; Newport Beach, Calif.), JillianShimkin (Albertson Soccer Club; Rockville Centre, N.Y.).
Thanksgiving Interregional ODP Girls Rosters: 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003
U.S. U-17 boys sweep Reggae Boyz
The U.S. U-17 boys national team won both its games against Jamaica during its training camp in Kingston.Ayomide Akinola, Joshua Sargent and Tonny Temple scored in a 3-0 win. In a 4-0 win, goals by George Acosta and BryanReynolds Jr. sandwiched a pair of strikes by Andrew Carleton.
The Reggae Boyz played a man-down in the 4-0 loss after Jamoi Topeywas sent off in the 34th minute for his second yellow card after a foul on Christopher Gloster.
The USA and Jamaica are preparing for the Concacaf U-17 ChampionshipApril 21-May 7 in Panama that will determine qualifiers for the 2017 U-17 World Cup.
Nov. 2 in Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica 0 USA 3.Goals: Akinola (Carleton) 21, Sargent (Ferri) 31, Temple (Durkin) 90.
Jamaica — Russell; Allen (Preisley, 46), Murray, Topey, Gibbons; Campbell, White (Smith, 78), Reid(Atkinson, 46); Daley (McGlashan, 60), Senior, Parris (Small, 71).
USA — Garces; Gloster, Vasquez, Sands, Lindsey; Durkin, Ferri (McGann, 74), Angking (Acosta, 46); Akinola(Reynolds Jr., 74), Sargent (Temple, 87), Carleton (Jones, 83).
Nov. 6 in Kingston, Jamaica
Jamaica 0 USA 3. Goals: Acosta 6,Carleton 46, Carleton 53, Reynolds Jr. 87.
U.S. U-17boys national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Carlos Joaquim Dos Santos (Benfica; Philadelphia, Pa.), Justin Garces (Kendall SC; Miami, Fla.).
DEFENDERS (9):Carlos Asensio (Atlanta United; Roswell, Ga.), Ethan Bartlow (Crossfire Premier; Woodinville, Wash.), Christopher Gloster (New York Red Bulls; Montclair, N.J.), Jaylin Lindsey (Sporting Kansas City;Charlotte, N.C.), Rayshaun McGann (Philadelphia Union; Royal Palm Beach, Fla.), Carlo Ritaccio (BW Gottschee; Westbury, N.Y.), James Sands (New York City FC; Rye, N.Y.) Arturo Vasquez (FC GoldenState; Mira Loma, Calif.), Chandler Vaughn (DC United; Woodbridge, Va.).
MIDFIELDERS (5): George Acosta (Weston FC; Hollywood, Fla.), Isaac Angking (New England Revolution;Providence, R.I.), Christopher Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Blaine Ferri (Solar Chelsea SC; Southlake, Texas), Adrian Villegas (Portland Timbers; Hood River, Ore.)
FORWARDS(6): Ayomide Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton, Ont.), Andrew Carleton (Atlanta United; Powder Springs, Ga.), Zyen Jones (Atlanta United; Clarkston, Ga.), Bryan Reynolds Jr. (FC Dallas; LittleElm, Texas), Joshua Sargent (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallen, Mo.), Tonny Temple (IMG Academy; Millville, Pa.).
Brad Friedel names roster for final U.S. U-19 camp
U.S. U-19 men’s national team coach BradFriedel called in 19 players for team’s final training camp of 2016, Nov. 5-14 in Sunrise, Florida. All the players on the roster were born in 1998 and are vying for a spot on the teamaiming for the 2017 U-20 World Cup for players born in 1997 or later.
In their last camp, the U.S. U-19s split friendlies against Club Tijuana’s U-20s in Chula Vista,California, in early October, losing 1-0 and winning 4-0.
U.S. U-19 men’s national team
GOALKEEPERS (2): Will Pulisic (BorussiaDortmund; Mechanicsville, Va.), Matias Reynares (Ft. Lauderdale Strikers; Weston, Fla.).
DEFENDERS (7): Danny Barbir (West Bromwich Albion; Allentown, Pa.), Tanner Dieterich(Clemson; Nashville, Tenn.), Marco Farfan (Portland Timbers; Portland, Ore.), Hector Montalvo (Grand Canyon University; Frisco, Texas), John Nelson (Internationals SC; Medina, Ohio), Logan Panchot(Scott Gallagher St. Louis; Glencoe, Mo.), Alexis Velela (NY Cosmos; San Diego, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS (7): Habib Barry (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, WA), Pierre Da Silva(Orlando City SC; Port Chester, N.Y.), Christian Enriquez (Cal Poly; Spring Valley, CA), Ronaldo Escudero (Patedores SC; Santa Ana, CA), Felipe Hernandez (Sporting KC; Murfreesboro, TN), DjordjeMihailovic (Chicago Fire; Bridgeview, IL), Adam Ozeri (Alianza Lima; New York, NY).
FORWARDS (3): Alex Rose (Capitol Area Railhawks; Cary, N.C.), Brandon Vazquez (Club Tijuana;Chula Vista, CA), Isaiah Young (PDA; Berlin, N.J.).
U.S. U-15 boys convenewith 36-player squad
U.S. U-15 boys national team coach Dave van den Bergh has called up 36 players for team’s second and final domestic training camp of theyear, Nov. 5-12 in Bradenton, Florida.
U.S. U-15 boys national team
GOALKEEPERS (4): Aaron Cervantes (LA Galaxy; Chino Hills, Calif.),Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Norridge, Ill.), Kashope Oladapo (Portland Timbers; Happy Valley, Ore.), Jakob Stone (Cook Inlet Soccer Club; Anchorage, Alaska).
DEFENDERS (12): AxelAlejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.), Anthony Alvites (Cedar Stars Bergen; Kearny, N.J.), Sebastian Anderson (Real Colorado; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Noah Atanda (Bethesda Olney; Olney, Md.), GeorgeBello (Atlanta United FC; Douglasville, Ga.), Nicholas Douglas (Santa Cruz Breakers; Los Gatos, Calif.), Mason Judge (Tampa Bay United; Tampa, Fla.), Rayvon McGann (Boca United; Royal Palm Beach,Fla.), Joshua Negrete (Cedar Stars Bergen; Bergen, N.J.), Kenny Nielsen (Pateadores; Irvine, Calif.), Joseph Scally (NYC FC; Lake Grove, N.Y.), Skyler Smith (Pateadores; Lake Forest, Calif.).
MIDFIELDERS (10): Nick Andersen (D.C. United; Washington, D.C.), Josh Atencio (Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.), Gavin Brose (Vardar; Detroit, Mich.), James Dunning (FC Dallas;Dallas, Texas), Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Kaya Ignacio (Lonestar Soccer Club; Georgetown, Texas), Jorge Lopez (Lonestar Soccer Club; Austin, Texas), Harrison Robledo (NYCFC; Greenwich, Conn.), Daniel Robles (Seattle Sounders; Burien, Wash.), Peter Stroud (NY Red Bulls; Chester, N.J.).
FORWARDS (10): Gianluca Busio (Sporting KC; Greensboro,N.C.), Victor Cano (LA Galaxy; Santa Monica, Calif.), Jackson Castro (Solar Chelsea SC; Dallas, Texas), Jack De Vries (Philadelphia Union; Wayne, Pa.), Julian Gaines (Lonestar Soccer Club; Austin,Texas), Jack Imperato (De Anza Force; San Jose, Calif.), Andres Jasson (NYC FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Daniel Mangarov (Georgia United; Duluth, Ga.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders; Fresno,Calif.), Giovanni Reyna (NYCFC; Bedford, N.Y.).