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FC Dallas' Kellyn Acosta Called into U.S. U-18 National Team Camp

September 5, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
FC Dallas News Release


FRISCO, Texas (Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012) - FC Dallas' seventh Homegrown player, midfielder Kellyn Acosta was one of 20 players chosen to represent the U.S. Under-18 Men's National Team by head coach Javier Perez, U.S. Soccer announced today.

Acosta will depart tomorrow for an 11-day training camp in Mill, Netherlands. The U-18 MNT camp is scheduled to run through Sept. 17 and will include an international friendly against the Netherlands U-18 team on Sept. 11 in Groesbeek, Netherlands.

Perez's squad is also scheduled to play friendly matches against U-18 club teams representing Feyenoord Rotterdam, Borussia Dortmund and Club Brugge during the week.

Including Marco Delgado (Chivas USA) and Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union), Acosta is one of three U.S. U-18 players to have signed professional contracts with Major League Soccer teams.

A former member of the U.S. U-15 and U-17 National Teams, Acosta most recently appeared in the Lisbon International Tournament under Perez. There, Acosta saw 135 minutes of action for the U.S. U-18 squad, which went 0-1-2 against Poland, Slovakia and Portugal.

During the 2011-12 FC Dallas Development Academy season, Acosta started 27 of the 28 games he played for the U-16 team. He scored nine times for the 12-4-8 side, which advanced to U.S. Soccer's Development Academy Playoffs.

Acosta also played up with FC Dallas' U-18 team, logging a total of 907 minutes during the regular season. The team went 20-3-1 during the regular season and was 3-0-0 in U.S.S.D.A. Playoffs. The team advanced to the U.S.S.D.A. Championship after going 2-0-1 during Finals Week in Houston, Texas, and was crowned national champions on Sunday, July 22, after defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 3-2.

In MLS Reserve League action, Acosta logged 90 minutes in a 3-2 loss to the Houston Dynamo Reserves on June 16. The young midfielder netted a goal in the 31st minute of that match. The goal was assisted by fellow Homegrown player Moises Hernandez.

U.S. U-18 MNT Roster By Position:

GOALKEEPERS (2): Ethan Horvath (Unattached; Highlands Ranch, Colo.), Zackary Steffen (Maryland; Downington, Pa.).

DEFENDERS (5): Michael Amick (De Anza Force; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Suliaman Dainkeh (DC United Academy; Reston, Va.), Dylan Greenberg (Albertson SC; Dix Hills, N.Y.), Trevor Haberkorn (Solar Chelsea SC; Roanoke, Texas), Jalen Markey (Seattle Sounders FC Academy; Renton, Wash.).

MIDFIELDERS (6): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas; Plano, Texas), Marco Delgado (CD Chivas USA; Glendora, Calif.), Romain Gall (FC Lorient; Herndon, Va.), Jacori Hayes (Baltimore Bays; Bowie, Md.), Piakai Henkel (Amiens FC; Arcata, Calif.), Kristian Scott (Stoke City, Winterbourne, England).

FORWARDS (7): Jordan Allen (Real Salt Lake Arizona; Rochester, N.Y.), Paul Arriola (LA Galaxy; Chula Vista, Calif.), Julian Green (Bayern Munich; Tampa, Fla.), Benjamin Lopez (Real Salt Lake Arizona; San Diego, Calif.), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union; Dresher, Pa.), Ben Spencer Jr. (CD Chivas USA; Albuquerque, N.M.), Travis Wannemuehler (Indiana Fire Academy; Evansville, Ind.)




Major League Soccer Stories from September 5, 2012


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