MLS Chicago Fire FC

Fire Rookie Forward Chris Rolfe Named to 20-Man U.S. National Team Roster for Nov. 12 Friendly

Published on November 8, 2005 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


CHICAGO, IL (Tuesday, November 8, 2005) - U.S. Men's National Team Manager Bruce Arena today named Chicago Fire forward Chris Rolfe as one of 20 players selected to face Scotland in an international friendly at famed Hampden Park this Saturday, Nov. 12, in Glasgow, Scotland. The match will be the 20th of the year for the USA and will kickoff in Glasgow at 10:00 a.m. CT (4:00 p.m. local). The match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel, and fans can also follow live on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker , presented by Philips Electronics.

The 22-year old Rolfe had a dream rookie season in 2005 for the Fire, emerging as a top finalist for the Gatorade Rookie of the Year award. Rolfe led Chicago in scoring, totaling a team-high eight goals on the season along with five assists en route to becoming the first rookie to win the team's scoring title, the 2005 Fire/Honda Golden Boot Award. Rolfe would also add one assist in the Fire's three-game run to the MLS Eastern Conference Championship during the 2005 MLS Cup Playoffs. In his first career start for the "Men in Red," Rolfe would score an important first career goal against D.C. United on Apr. 9 to salvage a 1-1 draw on the road, but his best performance may have been in front of his "hometown" crowd on Sept. 17, when he scored twice against the Columbus Crew on the road to lead the Fire to a 2-1 victory, a game which marked his first multiple-goal effort in MLS play.

"It's a tremendous opportunity for Chris to be included in this week's training and fixture in Scotland," said Fire Head Coach Dave Sarachan. "Chris getting on the radar screen for Bruce and the National Team is a true testament to the hard work he put in during a terrific rookie campaign in MLS. It's certainly a great chance for him not only in the immediate future, but also as he moves forward in his soccer career."

After being drafted in the third round of the 2005 MLS SuperDraft (29th overall), Rolfe quickly solidified his presence on the Fire's first team after an impressive preseason and later through occasional MLS Reserve Division matches and substitute roles early in the team's regular season slate. The University of Dayton product finished his college career sixth all-time at UD in goals with 31, third in total points with 87 and as the Flyers career leader in assists with 25, while earning second-team All-American honors his senior year. During his collegiate days, Rolfe also helped the Chicago Fire Premier (USL Premier Development League) to an undefeated and PDL-best regular season record of 17-0-1 and a Heartland Division title in 2004. The Kettering, OH native has yet to play for the U.S. National Team at any age level, making Saturday's game in Glasgow the first chance to earn his first "cap" for his country.

Rolfe joins six other MLS players in the 20-man squad heading to Glasgow. MLS Defender of the Year Jim Conrad, forward Josh Wolff, and midfielder Kerry Zavagnin will represent the Kansas City Wizards on the U.S. side in Scotland, while D.C. United will send over the midfielder trio of Ben Olsen, Santino Quaranta, and Brian Carroll for the friendly.

The U.S. roster boasts a wealth of experience, led by Fulham forward and Arlington Heights native Brian McBride. With 90 caps to his credit, the USA's second all-time leading scorer (29 goals) is just five shy of the team record. At the other end, veteran goalkeeper Kasey Keller has collected an amazing 44 shutouts in 88 career matches, an average of one shutout for every two games played. Manchester United 'keeper Tim Howard returns after blanking Panama 2-0 in the USA's final World Cup qualifier on Oct. 12 in Boston. PSV Eindhoven and former Fire midfielder DaMarcus Beasley has had a banner year for both club and country, posting career highs in both goals (4) and assists (4) for the national team while becoming the first American ever to play in the semifinals of the prestigious UEFA Champions League.

The U.S. backline looks to have a largely European flavor as well, with 2002 World Cup veterans Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus) and Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96) being called upon along with former Fire defender Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham). Jonathan Spector, another Arlington Heights product, currently on loan to Charlton Athletic from Manchester United, makes his third appearance in the U.S. camp, while newcomers Benny Feilhaber and Heath Pearce will join Rolfe in search of their first cap with the senior team.

The U.S. has played Scotland five times in their history, holding a lifetime record of just 1-3-1, but hasn't played in Scotland in 53 years. The team's lone match in Scotland came way back on Aug. 30, 1952, when the Scots blanked the U.S. 6-0 in Glasgow. The teams last met in the USA's final preparation match before the 1998 FIFA World Cup, playing to a scoreless draw on May 30, 1998, in Washington, D.C.

The United States has already made history in 2005, collecting its highest-ever win total with an overall record of 13-3-3. The U.S. hit a pair of high marks in their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing in the top spot in the group for the first time ever, and qualifying first out of the CONCACAF region for the first time in 71 years. In addition to winning the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the U.S. also reached a record-high sixth place in the FIFA rankings earlier this summer (currently ranked seventh).

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