Tozer Announces 14-Player Roster for FIFA 2008 Futsal World Cup in Brazil

CHICAGO (Sept. 16, 2008) - U.S. Futsal National Team head Coach Keith Tozer has named a squad of 14 players for the upcoming FIFA Futsal World Cup in Brazil.

"I'm excited about the team that we're taking to Brazil," said Tozer. "We are a young team, not only in age but in experience. However, at the same time we are a talented team that can only get better the deeper we go."

Of the 14 players named to the FIFA World Cup squad, 11 took part in June's CONCACAF Futsal Championship, where the U.S. finished third. The team will travel to Brazil on Sept. 24, stationing itself in Rio de Janeiro ahead of the tournament's opening. The U.S. will train in the city and play a friendly with current World champions Spain on Sept. 28.

Two players on the squad have prior Futsal World Cup experience, with forward Jamar Beasley and defender Pat Morris having played in the 2004 tournament in Chinese Taipei. Beasley, a rookie with the team, concluded the tournament with two goals and two assists, while Morris also a contributed a goal in the USA’s seventh place finish in Asia. Midfielder Matthew Stewart lead the U.S. with five goals in the CONCACAF Championship, while goalkeepers Jeff Richey and Nick Vorberg split time in the net during the tournament.

Midfielder Denison Cabral, himself a native Brazilian, captained the side throughout the tournament and he will reprise the role for the team in the World Cup.

U.S. Futsal National Team

2008 FIFA Futsal World Cup

Roster By Position

• Goalkeepers (2): Jeff Richey (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Nick Vorberg (Grants Pass, Ore.)
• Defenders (2): Joe Hammes (Cedarburg, Wis.), Pat Morris (Philadelphia, Pa.)
• Midfielders (6): Denison Cabral (Florianopolis, Brazil), Andrew Jacobsen (Palo Alto, Calif.), Ptah Myers (Columbus, Ohio), Sandre Naumoski (Philadelphia, Pa.), Andy Rosenband (Hammond, Ind.), Matthew Stewart (El Paso, Texas)
• Forwards (4): Mike Apple (Akron, Ohio), Jamar Beasley (Fort Wayne, Ind.), Chile Farias (Los Angeles, Calif.), Brett Wiesner (Brookfield, Wis.).

U.S. Futsal National Team Staff
Head Coach: Keith Tozer
Assistant Coach: Vilmar "VAVA" Marques
Goalkeeper Coach: Mark Litton
Team Coordinator: Bryan Koch
Team Doctor: Dr. Robert Lim
Team Doctor: Dr. Nicholas Romansky
Athletic Trainer: Tony Rill
Equipment Coordinator: Marthell Vazquez
Press Officer: Mark Liskevych

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Group B - Italy, Portugal, Thailand, Paraguay and USA.

• Sept. 30
  Paraguay vs. USA
  Rio de Janeiro
  11:30 a.m. (ET)
  
• Oct. 2
  USA vs. Italy
  Rio de Janeiro
  11:30 a.m. (ET)
  
• Oct. 4
  Thailand vs. USA
  Rio de Janeiro
  9:30 a.m. (ET)
  
• Oct. 6
  Portugal vs. USA
  Rio de Janeiro
  9:30 a.m. (ET)