CHICAGO(March 11, 2021) – U.S. Soccer today announced that Chicago Fire FC defender/midfielder Mauricio Pineda has been named to the U.S. U-23 Men’s National Team roster for the Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship. Pineda was part of the training camp ahead of the tournament and has been with the U.S. U-23 MNT in Guadalajara, Mexico, since Feb. 28.
The Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship will take place March 18-30 in Guadalajara, Mexico, and will determine the representatives from the Concacaf region that will participate at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. The U.S. is aiming to qualify for its first Men's Olympic Football Tournament since 2008.
Pineda is one of six members of the qualifying roster that were part of the senior USMNT’s 7-0 win against Trinidad & Tobago on Jan. 31. He joined the U.S. U-23 MNT in Mexico for the second time this year, after having also participated in the team’s January Camp.
The USA’s journey to Japan begins when Group A play opens on Thursday, March 18 against Costa Rica (4:30 p.m. CT; FS1, TUDN). The U.S. will then face the Dominican Republic on Sunday, March 21 (6:00 p.m. CT; FS1, TUDN) and wrap up the group stage against Mexico on Wednesday, March 24 (8:30 p.m. CT; FS1, TUDN).
The tournament features eight nations divided into two groups of four teams. Group B is composed of Canada, El Salvador, Haiti and Honduras. The top two finishers in each group will advance to the pivotal semifinal matches that will send two winners to the Olympics in Tokyo as representatives of Concacaf. The two winners will also meet in the final on March 30.
U.S. U-23 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship Group A Schedule
Thursday, March 18 – Jalisco Stadium
USA vs Costa Rica, 4:30 p.m. CT (FS1, TUDN)
Sunday, March 21 – Akron Stadium
Dominican Republic vs USA, 6:00 p.m. CT (FS1, TUDN)
Wednesday, March 24 – Jalisco Stadium
Mexico vs USA, 8:30 p.m. CT (FS1, TUDN)
U.S. U-23 MNT Olympic Qualifying Roster
GOALKEEPERS (3): Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union; Wayne, Pa.), JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes, Alamo, Calif.), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; Oxnard, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (6): Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy; Lompoc, Calif.), Justen Glad (Real Salt Lake; Tucson, Ariz.), Aaron Herrera (Real Salt Lake; Las Cruces, N.M.), Henry Kessler (New England Revolution; New York, N.Y.), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire FC; Bolingbrook, Ill.), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; Colorado Springs, Colo.)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Johnny Cardoso (Internacional/BRA; Denville, N.J.), Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United FC; Federal Way, Wash.), Ulysses Llanez (Heerenveen/NED; Lynwood, Calif.), Djordje Mihailovic (CF Montreal/CAN; Jacksonville, Fla.), Andrés Perea (Orlando City SC; Medellin, Colombia), Sebastian Saucedo (UNAM Pumas/MEX; Park City, Utah), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes; Bloomington, Minn.)
FORWARDS (4): Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids; Plantation, Fla.), Benji Michel (Orlando City SC; Orlando, Fla.), Sebastian Soto (Norwich City/ENG; San Diego, Calif.)
