Dec. 20, 2005

CHICAGO – United States National Team Manager Bruce Arena called 30 players to the training camp roster that will begin workouts Jan. 4 at the National Team Training Center in Carson, Calif., and two of South Carolina head coach Mark Berson’s former players, goalkeeper Brad Guzan (2003-04) and forward Josh Wolff (1995-97), were included. The group will prepare for a series of friendlies to take place in January and February.

Guzan is one of five players making their debut in U.S. National Team Camp. He is also one of four goalkeepers on the training camp roster and becomes the first player from Major League Soccer’s CD Chivas USA to earn an invitation. Guzan just wrapped up his rookie season in the MLS as he started 23 matches between the pipes and made 104 saves. At South Carolina, the Homer Glen, Ill., native started every match of his two-year career and recorded 13 shutouts. In 2004, Guzan was a semifinalist for the Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy, awarded annually to college soccer’s national player of the year.

Wolff completed his ninth season in the MLS and his third season with the Kansas City Wizards. He scored 30 total points on 10 goals and 10 assists. A member of the U.S. National Team since 1998, Wolff played in the 2000 Olympics and the 2002 World Cup. Wolff was an All-South Region selection for the Gamecocks in 1997. He 50 points on 21 goals and eight assists in his three seasons at Carolina.

The U.S. will open 2006 action against Canada on Jan. 22 in San Diego (5 p.m. PT), then host Norway on Jan. 29 (2 p.m. PT, ESPN2). The U.S. team will play Japan for only the second time in history on Feb. 10 at SBC Park in San Francisco. Kickoff is slated for 8 p.m. PT and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2.

The U.S. will play two friendlies in March, including a visit to three-time World Cup champions Germany. The 2002 FIFA World Cup runners up will host the U.S. on March 22, 2006, in Dortmund, Germany, one off 12 cities hosting matches in the tournament next summer. Kickoff at the Westfalenstadion is set for 8 p.m. in Germany (2 p.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN. Fans can follow the match live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker. The USA was drawn into Group E for the 2006 FIFA World Cup along with the Czech Republic, Ghana, and Italy. The U.S. plays their opening match against the Czechs on June 12 in Gelsenkirchen at 12 p.m. ET. Five days later, the USA faces Italy in Kaiserslautern, and then finishes off group play against Ghana on June 22 in Nuremberg. The U.S. has chosen the northern port city of Hamburg as its base of operations throughout the tournament.