SoccerBlogs

The United States U-20 Women's National Team won their record third U-20 Women's World Cup on Saturday, defeating Germany 1-0 in Tokyo, Japan.

The U.S. and defending champions Germany had each won two U-20 Women's World Cup titles in the five previous tournaments since the competition began in 2002.

Â

While the U.S. women's national team is still fighting for gold at the Olympics, the next generation of players is preparing for its shot at glory in the U-20 Women's World Cup.

U.S. Under-20 women's national team head coach Steve Swanson has named the 21-player roster that will take part in that competition that will take place in Japan beginning on Aug.

 Â

Qualifying for major international tournaments has been a tougher challenge than expected for U.S. youth teams over the last year, and that quest won't get any easier in 2013, as qualification for two youth World Cups will take place on foreign soil.

Mexico and Panama have been selected to host the 2013 CONCACAF Under-20 and Under-17 championships, respectively.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The U.S. Under-20 women's national team is a game away from being on top of the world for a record third time, but standing in its way is an opponent on a roll, and one that has already dealt the Americans a setback during this year's FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup.

The U.S. Under-20 women's national team will get a chance to make up for its one major blemish at this year's World Cup on the biggest possible stage.

Goals from Morgan Brian and Keaila Ohai lifted the U.S. U-20s to a 2-0 victory over Nigeria in the semifinals at National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo Tuesday, putting them in position capture a third U-20 World Cup title.

Meet Julian Green, the latest German-American with a strong club pedigree to suit up for a U.S. youth national team.

Green, a Bayern Munich U-19 forward who was born in Tampa, Fla., and has represented Germany on the youth level, is among 20 players called in by coach Javier Perez for the U.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Â

U.S. U-17 national team coach Richie Williams announced his 31-player residency class for the fall semester Friday, one that includes 20 returning players who will train full time at the IMG Academies facility in Bradenton, Fla., ahead of the 2013 CONCACAF championship tournament in April that serves as a qualifier for the FIFA U-17 World Cup next summer.

The U.S. senior men's national team is coming off what Jurgen Klinsmann called a five-game tournament, with three friendlies and two World Cup qualifiers in a rather brief time testing the durability of his squad. The U.S. U-17s are about to embark on a whirlwind, five-match adventure of their own.

The U.S. Under-18 men's national team played to its second consecutive draw in the Lisbon International Tournament on Thursday, playing Slovakia to a 0-0 tie.

The result came a day after the U-18s tied Poland 1-1 on a goal by Chivas USA academy forward Ben Spencer, who volleyed in the equalizer after Alejandro Guido's cross was flicked on by Los Angeles Galaxy forward Jack McBean.

The U.S. men's national team is currently preparing for friendlies and World Cup qualifiers, but the future of the program is also in action this week. The U.S. Under-18 men's national team kicks off its participation in the Libson International Tournament on Wednesday, the first tournament for new coach Javier Perez.

It won't make up for Mexico's recent continental dominance, but it's something.

The U.S. Under-17 men's national team topped Mexico 1-0 in the fifth-place game of the Mondial Minimes Tournament in France Monday, getting a goal from New York Red Bulls academy forward Wesley Wade to cap off the competition with a victory.

The U.S. Under-17 national team opened the Richie Williams era with a victory, topping the United Arab Emirates 4-0 in their opening match of the Mondial Minimes tournament on Tuesday, Williams' first game since taking over for Wilmer Cabrera as U-17 coach.

Nike International Friendlies standouts Tyler Turner and Wesley Wade scored for the United States, and Ahinga Selemani and Chivas USA academy product Bradford Jamieson also provided goals in the rout.

Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com

The immediate future of the U.S. men's national team is consumed with Olympic qualifying, but the wave of players in the pipeline behind them are getting to work as well.

New U.S. Under-18 coach Javier Perez has called in 35 players for his first training camp since taking over at the helm a little more than a month ago, with a heavy Development Academy presence being a theme on the roster.

The United States Under-17 men's national team is nearing the end of its time at the Copa Saprissa Internacional in Costa Rica, but there is still an opportunity to go out on a winning note.

Playing five 70-minute games in five days, the U.S. U-17s recorded wins over clubs Linafa (3-0) and Chorillo FC (6-1), a triumph over host Costa Rica (3-2) and a draw against Honduras (1-1).

Photo by ISIphotos.com

Centerback Gale Agbossoumonde and goalkeeper David Bingham have been forced to withdraw from United States Under-23 national team camp with undisclosed injuries ahead of today's opening day of training at the Home Depot Center, according to U.

By FRANCO PANIZO

With both the U.S. men's national team and U.S. women's national team claimed shutout wins, U.S. Soccer just needed a victory from Caleb Porter's Under-23 side to enjoy a dream leap year day.

Porter's team got that win and it did so in convincing fashion against a formidable foe.

 Â

The U.S. Men's Under-23 national team will play its finaly exhibition match before Olympic Qualifying kicks off in a month in Nashville with a match agianst arch-rival Mexico in Frisco, Texas tonight (10pm, Telefutura).

 Head coach Caleb Porter will be trotting out a strong team against Mexico tonight, with Bill Hamid and Juan Agudelo leading a squad that will make up most of the team that will take part in CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying in Nashville and Kansas City.

photo by John Dorton/ISIphotos.com

U.S. Under-23 men's national team head coach Caleb Porter has announced a 23-man roster that will take part in a February camp leading into a friendly with Mexico's U-23 team.

Here is the full roster:

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid, Sean Johnson

Defenders: Greg Garza, Perry Kitchen, Alfredo Morales, Ike Opara, Kofi Sarkodie, Zarek Valentin, Jorge Villafana

Midfielders: Joe Corona, Mix Diskerud, Dilly Duka, Jared Jeffrey, Amobi Okugo, Michael Stephens

Forwards: Freddy Adu, Juan Agudelo, Terrence Boyd, Teal Bunbury, Joe Gyau, Jack McInerneny, Brek Shea, Tony Taylor

------

What do you think of the roster?

Photo by ISIphotos.com

The United States Under-23 men's national team is going to get a proper tune-up for CONCACAF Olympic qualifying, as it will square off against Mexico's Under-23 side in a friendly at FC Dallas Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Feb. 29.

The match will be a culmination of a 10-day training camp in Frisco.

The U.S. Under-23 men's national team has just over a month left before Olympic qualifying takes place, and Caleb Porter's side wrapped up its penultimate camp last week in Costa Rica with a pair of friendlies.

Playing without some of its top players, the Americans played to a scoreless draw with the Saprissa reserves.

The U.S. Under-23 men's national team finished off its January training camp with a victory, topping Alajuelense 1-0 in a friendly in Costa Rica.

Tony Taylor scored the lone goal, taking a pass from the Columbus Crew's Dilly Duka at the top of the box and finishing in the 41st minute.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

It's been a bit of a whirlwind year for Richie Williams, but he has landed in a spot of extreme importance in the U.S. Soccer community.

Williams was named U.S. Under-17 national team coach on Tuesday, a position that also entails overseeing the federation's residency program in Bradenton, Fla.

Photo by ISIphotos.com

There's been another coaching change in the U.S. Soccer youth tree under the Jurgen Klinsmann regime.

Months after Thomas Rongen and Mike Matkovich made way for Tab Ramos and Richie Williams on the Under-20 and U-18 levels, respectively, U.

Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com

January is a busy month for U.S. Soccer across almost all ages, and following Jurgen Klinsmann's roster announcement for the senior camp that kicks off today in Phoenix and Tab Ramos' roster announcement for this week's Under-20 camp in Florida, two more sets of U.

By FRANCO PANIZO

AS Roma has concluded their preseason preparations for the upcoming Serie A campaign, and Michael Bradley looks ready to tackle the season head-on.

Bradley scored in Roma's final preseason friendly on Sunday, netting the second goal in the Italian club's 3-0 win over Greek side Aris FC.

A mere days before the U.S. women's national team departs for the Olympics, in comes a bit of bad news for one of the team's best players.

Starting goalkeeper Hope Solo received a public warning from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for a prohibited subtance violation from June, and U.S.

Real Salt Lake midfielder Luis Gil and Fortuna Dusseldorf forward Villyan Bijev were among the 20 players named for the upcoming U.S. Under-20 national team training camp in Houston by head coach Tab Ramos.

The roster, released on Saturday, includes FC Dallas forward Jonathan Top and University of North Carolina tandem Boyd Okwuonu and Jordan McCrary.