Three Philadelphia Union Players Earn United States National Team Call-Ups
Alejandro Bedoya, Chris Pontius, Keegan Rosenberry set to join USMNT for January camp;
(From PhiladelphiaUnion.com) CHESTER, Pa. (Jan. 5, 2017) – U.S. Soccer today announced that three members of Philadelphia Union have been called up by Head Coach Bruce Arena to join the United States Men’s National Team for its annual January training camp. Alejandro Bedoya, Chris Pontius and Keegan Rosenberry are set to join the team on January 10 for the duration of the camp, which includes two friendlies: January 29 against Serbia in San Diego, and February 3 against Jamaica in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Bedoya has earned 55 international caps, including four FIFA World Cup appearances. In 2014, he set a single year career-high 11 starts, starting in three matches in the World Cup, including the Round of 16 match against Belgium. Bedoya scored the game-winner in the 1-0 win against Czech Republic on September 3 in Prague and was a driving force in the team’s semifinal run during the 2016 Copa America Centenario. Overall, he’s scored two goals and handed out eight assists in his international career. Bedoya joined the Union as a Designated Player on August 3, 2016, scoring two goals across all competitions, including a tally in the MLS Cup Playoffs against Toronto FC on October 26.
Pontius joins the side after having been called up by the USMNT in the past, but the midfielder has yet to earn his first international cap. He was first called up by the United States for the January camp in 2010 in preparation for a friendly against El Salvador, where he was selected to the preliminary 20-player roster. He was called up for a second time in 2011 ahead of friendlies against Costa Rica on September 2 and Belgium on September 6, making the matchday roster for the clash against the Ticos. Pontius was named the 2016 MLS Comeback Player of the Year after a 12-goal, six-assist campaign for Philadelphia in 2016.
Rosenberry, meanwhile, is set to join the National Team for the first time in his career. The rightback earns the call from Arena following a breakout rookie season in which he was the runner-up for the MLS Rookie of the Year and the winner of the MLS individual Fair Play Award. He became the only rookie in MLS history to play all 3,060 minutes of a 34-match regular season, scoring two goals and two assists for the Union in 2016.
The Union begin the 2017 campaign by playing at Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday, March 5 (9:30 p.m. ET) before returning to Talen Energy Stadium for the 2017 home opener on Saturday, March 11 against Toronto FC (4:30 p.m. ET). For ticket information, visit www.philadelphiaunion.com/tickets.
ABOUT PHILADELPHIA UNION
Philadelphia was awarded the 16th Major League Soccer franchise on Feb. 28, 2008 and the Union were officially named on May 11, 2009. Owned and operated by Keystone Sports and Entertainment, LLC, the group launched the Philadelphia Union's inaugural season on March 25, 2010 and opened Talen Energy Stadium on June 27. Throughout the club’s history, the Union have reached the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final in 2014 and 2015, and have also reached the MLS playoffs in 2011 and 2016. In 2017, Philadelphia Union will celebrate eight years of top-flight action at Talen Energy Stadium, a soccer-specific stadium that has hosted internationally known clubs Celtic, Chivas de Guadalajara, Everton, Schalke 04, Aston Villa, Pumas UNAM, Stoke City, Crystal Palace and AFC Bournemouth. For more information about Philadelphia Union, visit www.philadelphiaunion.com.