The United States played two tough European opponents and were defeated in both matches. But we certainly learned something from both games, and thus this European Adventure has been useful for Bob Bradley.

• The US has its style: tactically Bob Bradley is modeling his team after what Carlo Ancelotti did at AC Milan.

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The final match of the year is set to kick off today for the U.S. men's national team as the Americans take on Denmark (2:30pm, ESPN Classic/Galavision/ESPN2 after Ukraine-Greece) on the last international matchday of the year.

The United States will be playing its 24th match of the year and this match is an important one as head coach Bob Bradley looks to learn more about the depth of his squad.

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2 - Jonathan Spector 3 - Carlos Bocanegra 4 - Michael Bradley 5 - Benny Feilhaber 7 - Stuart Holden 12 - Jonathan Bornstein 13 - Ricardo Clark 15 - Jimmy Conrad 17 - Jozy Altidore 18 - Brad Guzan 19 - Robbie Rogers 22 - Frankie Hejduk 25 - Clarence Goodson 28 - Dax McCarty 32 - Jeff Cunningham 33 - Edgar Castillo 35 - Marcus Hahnemann 36 - Eddie Johnson Click to continue reading...

The U.S. men's national team plays its final match of a busy and memorable 2009 today when it takes on Denmark in Aarhus (2:30pm, ESPN Classic/Galavision/ESPN2 after Ukraine-Greece).

Both teams will be missing several key players, with the Americans playing without Landon Donovan, Tim Howard and Clint Dempsey (as well as injured regulars Oguchi Onyewu, Jay DeMerit and Charlie Davies).

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Take your pick: a meaningless friendly on European soil, or fighting for a World Cup spot today. As far as that goes, American soccer fans can't complain about their situation. Thanks to some gutsy results in the final two games of the tournament, they aren't in Montevideo, with a tough Uruguay squad looking to deal a knockout blow.

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The United States Men's National Team will close out an impressive 2009 schedule when they face fellow 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifiers Denmark on Wednesday, Nov. 18, in Aarhus, Denmark. Kickoff at NRGi Park is set for 8:30 p.m. local time (1:30 p.m. CT), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic at 1:25 p.

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Edgar Castillo fue convocado de nuevo por Bradley, técnico de los Estados Unidos para el partido de éste miércoles ante Dinamarca, en Aarhus.

Edgar debió de haberse presentado ayer lunes en Dinamarca junto con Stuart Holden y Ricardo Clark jugadores del Dynamo para unirse el grupo que ya está en aquel país.

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With the Houston Dynamo knocked out of the MLS playoffs, Ricardo Clark and Stuart Holden were called in for the friendly against Denmark on Wednesday. Neither are a surprise, having forced their way into the national team setup at this stage in their career. The other two call ups, Jose Francisco Torres and Edgar Castillo were a welcome sight -- though news also came out that Torres declined for personal reasons.

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An injury-riddled, star-lacking USMNT team lost 1-0 to Slovakia over the weekend. I didn't watch, so I don't have much to add.
Seems like a fair result on the road. Here's the tweaked lineup for the upcoming Denmark friendly:

GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan, Marcus Hahnemann, Troy Perkins.

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There were no surprises on Saturday while watching the U.S. men's team struggle in Bratislavia. No Landon Donovan and no Charlie Davies removes the two fastest, most dangerous attacking players. Watching Clint Dempsey lumber up and down the pitch, hoping for something a bit extra, wasn't enough.

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Bob Bradley added four players over the weekend to his roster for the upcoming friendly in Denmark. Ricardo Clark, Stuart Holden, and Edgar Castillo.

José Francisco Torres was initially called into the camp for Denmark and has since been excused for personal reasons.

Steve Cherundolo, Clint Dempsey and Chad Marshall have been released back to their clubs after the USA's 1-0 loss to Slovakia on Nov.

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Edgar Castillo, Stuart Holden, Jose Francisco Torres, and Ricardo Clark were called in. Clint Dempsey, Steve Cherundolo and Chad Marshall have been sent home.

The full squad:

GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton), Troy Perkins (Valerenga)

DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Edgar Castillo (Tigres), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)

MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Houston Dynamo), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), José Francisco Torres (Pachuca)

FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Hull City), Conor Casey (Colorado Rapids), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Eddie Johnson (Fulham)

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Costa Rica's new coach Rene Simoes has had a mixed bag of results. The Ticos beat his old team, Trinidad and Tobago handily, 4-0. The USA were able to claw back a draw against them with Jonathan Bornstein's equalizer (which made him a hero in Honduras) at RFK stadium.

However, the Ticos suffered a setback at home against Uruguay in the playoffs to decide the World Cup spot between the 4th placed CONCACAF and 5th placed CONMEBOL teams.

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Edgar Castillo has been called into his first U.S. national team camp.

The New Mexico native and former Mexican national team player was one of four new players called into the U.S. men's national team camp ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Denmark.

Midfielders Stuart Holden and Jose Francisco Torres were also called in, as was Ricardo Clark.

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Edgar Castillo has been called into his first U.S. national team camp.

The New Mexico native and former Mexican national team player was one of four new players called into the U.S. men's national team camp ahead of Wednesday's friendly against Denmark. He will be joining the U.S. team for the first time since the new FIFA rule that allowed him to change national team affiliations from Mexico to the United States.

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The USMNT list for the Aarhus party:G: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton), Troy Perkins (VÃ¥lerenga )D: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Edgar Castillo (Tigres), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham United)M: Michael Bradley (Borussia Click to continue reading...

Marek Hamsik's penalty kick in the 26th minute was enough for surprise World Cup qualifiers Slovakia to earn a home win against a weakened United States team in an international friendly earlier today. The penalty followed U.S. defender Jonathan Bornstein's push on Vladimir Weiss in the box. Check out our Videos section for game highlights and [. Click to continue reading...

Dont forget: We'll find out who the Galaxy play next Sunday at MLS Cup in Seattle - Real Salt Lake or Chicago Fire - at 5 p.m. on Fox Soccer Channel.

(AP Photo)

A below-strength U.S. team lost 1-0 to Slovakia today in Bratislava, Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein being called for what was a very harsh penalty decision in the 26th minute (I think this is the moment, above, he 'brought down" Vladimir Weiss).

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The U.S. national team returns to action for the first time since qualifying for the 2010 World Cup today when it takes on Slovakia in a friendly in Bratislava (10am, FSC).

The Americans are without Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, as well as the injured Oguchi Onyewu and Jay DeMerit, but there are still plenty of starters who will have chances to show they can play without the team's top players.

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The friendly between the US Men's National Team and Slovakia, being played in Bratislava, Slovakia will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Galavision beginning at 9:00 am.

After earning a place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Men's National Team sets its sights on raising the bar for the World Cup in South Africa, which is now a mere seven months away.

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Who will Chivas protect this year? (Getty Images)

Yesterday we started our look at the expansion draft and who teams will and won't protect for this month's upcoming draft. The Philadelphia Union get ten players to pick from and this year will be as tough as any to predict who will stay and who will be left exposed.

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Marcus Hahnemann is back in the US MNT roster with his new ride (hint: it's his bike don't get you hopes up for a pimped out 1970s army tank or something), but first, the best news of the week from The AP:

U.S. forward Charlie Davies was released from a Washington hospital on Tuesday nearly a month after a car accident killed a fellow passenger.

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Chivas USA was a surprise early on in 2009, but they faded quickly in the summer months. (Getty Images)

It seems like every season or so we get one club that comes out hot to start the season then to only fade in the summer. In 2009 it was Chivas USA who was just that club as they went 7-2-3 to start the first couple months of the season.

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Bob Bradley didn't call up those guys with league commitments in the MLS playoffs, which explains why a few familiar names aren't included.

GOALKEEPERS: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Troy Perkins (Valerenga)
DEFENDERS: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Chad Marshall (Columbus), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)
MIDFIELDERS: Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (FC Dallas), Robbie Rogers (Columbus)
FORWARDS: Jozy Altidore (Hull), Conor Casey (Colorado), Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas), Eddie Johnson (Fulham)

How about that EJ/Cunningham forward pairing. Click to continue reading...

Chivas USA's Jonathan Bornstein and Sacha Kljestan, as well as former Goat Brad Guzan, were named to the 22-player U.S. squad today for games Saturday against Slovakia (10 a.m. Fox Soccer Channel and Galavision) and Denmark four days later (no TV by the sound of it).

From U.S. Soccer::

The U.

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US Soccer has announced the roster for the upcoming friendlies vs. Slovakia (11/14) and Denmark (11/18).

GK: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton), Troy Perkins (Valerenga).
DEF: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards), Clarence Goodson (Start), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham).

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I guess the late season run for FC Dallas helped cash things in for a couple guys as Bob Bradley named a handful of FC Dallas players to his 22-man roster for the Slovakia friendly later this month.

Also the loss of Columbus in the playoffs meant callups for a few Crew players as well.

To me though the big news may be the re-call of Eddie Johnson, someone we haven't seen called into action in a very long time.

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MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, veteran goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and Fulham striker Eddie Johnson are three of the 22 players called up by Bob Bradley for Saturday's friendly against Slovakia.

Bradley called in a mostly full-strength squad of available players, with Tim Howard and Landon Donovan among those not called in for this match.

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MLS Golden Boot winner Jeff Cunningham, veteran goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann and Fulham striker Eddie Johnson are three of the 22 players called up by Bob Bradley for Saturday's friendly against Slovakia (10am, Fox Soccer Channel).

Bradley called in a mostly full-strength squad of available players, with Tim Howard and Landon Donovan among those not called in for this match.

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The Major League Soccer Playoffs wrapped up its Conference Semifinal round on Sunday, November 8, 2009 as the Los Angeles Galaxy faced Chivas USA. The score was 2-2 on aggregate heading into the second leg. Here's a recap of the match along with video highlights.

Los Angeles Galaxy beats Chivas USA 1-0 (3-2 on aggregate) Video Highlights (to be added later)

1st Half

The Galaxy came out aggressive and had chances early.

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QUESTION ON MY MIND
So who is joining me in Chicago on Saturday for the Fire game against New England? How many times have I seen these two duke it out? Like old timey boxing? Can't wait! See you there!
STARTERS
Real Salt Lake followed New York's lead from last year and knocked the defending MLS Cup winners out of the playoffs in the first round. Click to continue reading...

The U.S. men's national team's European friendlies are fast approaching and we will soon learn which new faces head coach Bob Bradley will be taking a look at.

Why should we expect to see some new faces? The long term losses of Charlie Davies and Oguchi Onyewu, coupled with the absence of Jay DeMerit, has left serious voids in the squad.

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The U.S. men's national team's European friendlies are fast approaching and we will soon learn which new faces head coach Bob Bradley will be taking a look at.

Why should we expect to see some new faces? The long term losses of Charlie Davies and Oguchi Onyewu, coupled with the absence of Jay DeMerit, has left serious voids in the squad.

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Edgar Castillo will join the U.S. men's national team for the first time when he meets up with the squad for its upcoming friendlies against fellow World Cup participants Slovakia and Denmark, Castillo told Mexican media on Saturday evening. Sources confirmed the call-up to SBI on Sunday.

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Edgar Castillo will join the U.S. men's national team for the first time when he meets up with the squad for its upcoming friendlies against fellow World Cup participants Slovakia and Denmark. Castillo revealed that he has been called up for the U.S. friendlies in post-game interviews with Mexican media on Saturday evening.

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