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Chicago Fire FC Defender/Midfielder Mauricio Pineda Called up to U.S. U-23 Men's National Team

January 5, 2021 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


CHICAGO - Chicago Fire FC announced today that defender/midfielder Mauricio Pineda has been called up to the U.S. U-23 Men's National Team. Pineda will join the U.S. U-23 MNT for a training camp in Bradenton, Fla. from Jan. 9-24 that will run in conjunction with the senior U.S. Men's National Team's January Camp.

The U.S. U-23 MNT is preparing for the Concacaf Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship, which will determine the representatives from the Concacaf region that will participate at the Olympic Games in Tokyo. It is the first time the team has gathered since the tournament was suspended in March 2020, and will be the final gathering of the team before the qualifying tournament resumes in March 2021. The U.S. is aiming to qualify for its first Men's Olympic Football Tournament since 2008. The top two teams at the Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship will advance to the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo.

USMNT head coach Gregg Berhalter will conduct a 12-player training camp alongside the U-23 camp consisting of players aged 24 and older. At the end of the camp, several U-23 players will be elevated to the full USMNT roster in advance of a planned match at the end of the month.

Pineda will join the U.S. U-23 MNT after being called up for the first time to the senior USMNT in December. Pineda was on the gameday roster for the 6-0 win against El Salvador on Dec. 9. He has also represented the U.S. at the U-18 and U-20 levels.

Pineda recently signed a multi-year contract extension on Dec. 31 and was named Chicago's Defensive Player of the Year after a stellar rookie season.

U-23 USMNT DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club):

GOALKEEPERS (3): JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake), Brady Scott (Austin FC)

DEFENDERS (10): Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy), George Bello (Atlanta United FC), Chris Gloster (PSV Eindhoven/NED), Aaron Herrera (Real Salt Lake), Aboubacar Keita (Columbus Crew SC), Henry Kessler (New England Revolution), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire FC), Bryan Reynolds (FC Dallas), Miles Robinson (Atlanta United FC), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids)

MIDFIELDERS (6): Hassani Dotson (Minnesota United FC), Bryang Kayo (Wolfsburg/GER), Andrés Perea* (Orlando City SC), Tanner Tessmann (FC Dallas), Eryk Williamson (Portland Timbers), Jackson Yueill (San Jose Earthquakes)

FORWARDS (7): Cade Cowell (San Jose Earthquakes), Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC), Jeremy Ebobisse (Portland Timbers), Jesús Ferreira (FC Dallas), Jonathan Lewis (Colorado Rapids), Benji Michel (Orlando City SC), Djordje Mihailovic (Montreal Impact/CAN)

*Player is currently ineligible to represent the United States

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