Wizards rookie Espinoza picked by Catrachos

• by Soccer America , Dec 29, 2008

Kansas City Wizards rookie Roger Espinoza has been called up for the Honduran national team's training camp that begins Thursday in Miami.

Espinoza, who attended Regis Jesuit High School in Aurora, Colo., and played at Yavapai College and Ohio State before turning pro in 2008, is one of four MLS players called into camp long with Amado Guevara (Toronto FC), Mauricio Castro (New England) and Ivan Guerrero (D.C. United).

Former MLS players in camp will be Ramon Nunez, Carlos Pavon and Saul Martinez.

Espinoza, who moved to Denver from Honduras when he was 12, played 22 games as a rookie for the Wizards in 2008.

Honduras won its group to advance to the final round of World Cup 2010 qualifying in the Concacaf zone.

The Catrachos will also host the 2009 Digicel UNCAF Championship, beginning Jan. 22. All 14 games of the Central American championship, which serves as qualifying for the Gold Cup, will be played at Estadio Tiburcio Carias Andino in Tegucigalpa.

Honduras Roster:
Goalkeepers: Noel Valladares (Olimpia), Victor Coello (Marathon), John Bodden (Victoria).
Defenders: Mario Beata (Marathon), Sergio Mendoza (Olimpia), Erick Norales (Marathon), Osman Chavez (Platense), Boniek Garcia (Olimpia), Ivan Guerrero (D.C. United), Emilio Izaguirre (Motagua).
Midfielders: Mariano Acevedo (Marathon), Mario Rodriguez (Real Espana), Mauricio Castro (New England Revolution), Amado Guevara (Toronto FC), Danilo Turcios (Olimpia), Hendry Thomas (Olimpia), Ramon Nunez (Puebla, Mexico), Emil Martinez (Shanghai Shenhua, China), Marvin Chavez (Marathon), Roger Espinoza (Kansas City Wizards).
Forwards: Carlos Pavon (Real Espana), Saul Martinez (Marathon), Walter Martinez (Beijing Guoan, China), Carlos Will Mejia (Marathon), Allan Lalin (Real Espana).