Dave's Note: bumped to frontpage for trialist discussion.

One of the unfamiliar faces at Sounders Training belongs to one of the newest Reggae Boyz. The articles linked below claim that 21-year-old center midfielder Andrew Vanzie of Jamaican top-side Portmore United FC (currently 5 points clear at the top of the table) left last Tuesday for a four-week trial with Seattle Sounders FC.

The Associated Press has the details:

NEW YORK (AP) -- The United States will open qualifying for the 2014 World Cup at home against Antigua and Barbuda on June 8.

The Americans, trying to qualify for their seventh straight trip to soccer's championship,
play at Guatemala on June 12, FIFA announced Wednesday.

Another day of international duty for Sporting KC players today. Four players had national team duty today, three of them started. The one to not start, didn't even appear for his country, as Teal Bunbury didn't make the bench again for the United States in their 1-0 loss to Ecuador tonight in New York.

CONCACAF Gold Cup tournament hosts the United States have got their campaign back on track following a rocky group phase. The Americans sealed a place in the semi-finals of the competition after defeating previously unbeaten Jamaica by two goals to nil in the last eight. The other quarter-finals saw tournament favourites Mexico come from behind to get the better of Guatemala whilst penalty shoot outs prevailed in the other two matches with Honduras and Panama coming out on top against Costa Rica and El Salvador respectively.

The United States reasserted their position within the CONCACAF region, by defeating Group B winners Jamaica 2-0 at RFK Stadium.

Starting Formations

Theodore Whitmore decided to start in a 3-4-3 formation for Jamaica. The three back formation allowed Demar Phillips and Eric Vernan to be active in the midfield, while being available to backtrack to form a five-man defensive line when under pressure.

US Strategy Bob Bradley elected to change his tactics after playing a 4-2-2-2 in the three group matches. Landon Donovan was unavailable to start after arriving late from his sister's wedding. Consequently, Sasha Kljestan and Alejandro Bedoya were brought into the starting XI to replace Donovan and Chris Wondolowski.

Bob Bradley gamble opting to sit down Landon Donovan and opening with Alejandro Bedoya and Sasha Kljestan paid off handsomely. The midfield was a beehive of meaningful activity with the fresh legs of both players making repeated inroads into the heart of the Jamaican defense.

Bedoya in particular made the right channel a right terror with his pace and movement.

Dempsey scored the go-ahead goal.
The United States finally found form in their quarterfinal match-up against Jamaica in front of a packed RFK stadium in Washington, DC. The Americans vaulted to victory behind goals from Jermaine Jones and Clint Dempsey, who each played exceptionally well on the day.

Few quick thoughts on United States 2-0 victory over Jamaica;

• Credit to Bob Bradley for making the difficult and as it turned out correct decisions. Sitting Donovan due to his early morning return from his sisters wedding was the correct call and a gutsy one by Bradley. In addition, trotting out a 4-3-2-1 allowed the United States to control the midfield by spreading out the Reggae Boyz, which also opened up a ton of space.

Happy Father's Day and apologies no Orange Slices today.

Will the unofficial captain have his say today?

The United States faces a tough upstart opponent in the Reggae Boyz of Jamaica at RFK Stadium at 3pm ET for the right to play the winner of Panama v. El Salvador in the semifinals.

Photo by Rick Osentoski/ISIphotos.com

By THOMAS FLOYD

WASHINGTON - One of the most intriguing subplots surrounding the U.S. national team's rocky Gold Cup road has been how coach Bob Bradley has balanced putting his team in position to win the regional crown while also catering to long-term goals.

Tim Howard's organization skills will be called on again Sunday against the speed Jamaicans...

The tables are turned as the United States heads into its first knockout match of the 2011 Gold Cup.

Their opponent Jamaica arrives in DC with anindustrious upstart moniker similar to the one affixed to the Yanks at World Cup 2010.

Photo by Bill Barrett/ISIphotos.com

By FRANCO PANIZO

As far as the Gold Cup goes, the U.S. men's national team is where it should be. But the road to get to the this point of the tournament has been far from perfect.

GOLD CUP: Role reversal on one side of Gold Cup bracket - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Sunday's quarterfinal matches show just how imprecise predictions can be. Teams that were considered to be favorites in the Gold Cup coming in are now underdogs and an unlikely group winner looks to continue a good run.

The 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup group stage has come to and end. The matchups for the quarterfinals are set and we are poised for an interesting knockout round, which may be more up in the air than usual. Two teams in particular have really risen their play and are looking to tip the scales on the traditional powers.

We are almost into the quarter-final stage of the Gold Cup as teams finish up the group stages tonight with the US playing Guadeloupe and Canada taking on Panama.

So what he we learnt so far? First that Mexico has been dominant and looks head and shoulders above everyone playing. Mexico has played 3 games and scored 14 goals while conceding just 1.

If the Portland Timbers are to return their winning ways in their upcoming matches, they'll have to do so without centerback Futty Danso.

The Gambian defender has been ruled out for the next 2-to-4 weeks after injuring his shoulder in Saturday's loss to the Colorado Rapids.

Danso was hurt in the 23rd minute of the match when going for a header against Rapids forward Caleb Folan, and an MRI revealed that he escaped serious injury but will still need a spell on the sidelines.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

Mexico isn't the only team enjoying a dominant Gold Cup.

Jamaica improved to 3-0-0 after a 1-0 victory over Group B challenger Honduras to clinch the top spot in the group Monday night at Red Bull Arena. Jamaica didn't concede a goal in the group stage and finished with a +7 goal differential.

GOLD CUP: Jamaica makes it a perfect group stage as Gold Cup knockout stage comes into focus - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

The consensus before the Gold Cup was this Jamaican team was the best assembled in quite some time. Still they were a popular pick to finish behind Honduras in the group.

GOLD CUP: Jamaica book passage to Quarterfinals while Honduras routs Grenada - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

A night after Mexico clinched their spot in the knockout stage Jamaica parlayed a Friday night victory into a spot joining El Tri in the quarterfinals.

Jamaica overcame Guatemala's physical and disruptive style and took advantage of being up a man to dispatch the Central American nation 2-0 in the night's opening match.

An impressive Jamaica side beat Grenada 4-0 Monday night at the Home Depot Center while an unimpressive Honduras side could only manage a 0-0 draw against rival Guatemala.

Jamaica was simply too good for Grenada as they dominated the natch from the opening whistle, peppering the Grenadian goal with shots.

Jamaica Stakes Early Claim to Gold Cup Group B - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Jamaica sent a statement Monday night that they're a force to be reckoned with in group B while popular favorite Honduras played to a less than stellar 0-0 draw against rival Guatemala Monday night at the Home Depot Center in Los Angeles.

CARSON, Calif. - Can winning by four goals end up a disappointment? For a Jamaican side with aspirations of greatness at the Gold Cup, Monday's performance was just that.

The Reggae Boyz tallied four goals on their Caribbean rivals Grenada in a convincing victory at the Home Depot Center.

Roger Espinoza earned his 16th cap of his international career over the weekend playing for Honduras in Houston against El Salvador. Espinoza came on as a substitute in the 54th minute. At that point Honduras had a 2-0 lead over El Salvador, but two goals in the span of 3 minutes saw El Salvador tie the game at 2-2.

While Sporting KC was struggling to find a center back, Jamaican center back, Shavar Thomas was working to get to El Salvador for Jamaica's second friendly. Flight trouble pushed back the game in San Salvador to Tuesday. The delay could certainly affect next weekend's game against Vancouver for Thomas.

A recent story in the Jamaica Observer illustrates the challenges that the national football federation faces in scheduling matches for the senior national team. The National Stadium is closed for repairs to the athletics track in preparation for some big international meets during the year. But even if the Stadium were available, a home match is a money-losing proposition for the federation.

A recent story in the Jamaica Observer illustrates the challenges that the national football federation faces in scheduling matches for the senior national team. The National Stadium is closed for repairs to the athletics track in preparation for some big international meets during the year. But even if the Stadium were available, a home match is a money-losing proposition for the federation.

The Colorado Rapids announced their first roster move of the New Year on Monday by signing defender Tyrone Marshall. Per club and league policies, financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Marshall is officially added to the club's roster after being selected by Colorado with the 16th pick in Stage 2 of the 2010 Major League Soccer Re-Entry Process on Dec.