'Final 18' Named for Sueño MLS 2008: The Dream Continues

March 2, 2008 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release

NEW YORK (Sunday, March 2, 2008) - Chivas USA and Major League Soccer today announced the names of the 18 talented young players who have advanced to the 'Final 18' of Sueño MLS 2008: The Dream Continues. The Final 18 will face their biggest test to date on Thursday, March 13, when they play a trial game at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., the Cathedral of American Soccer and home to Chivas USA. From this group of aspiring players - who range in age from 15-20 and hail from Mexico, Argentina and the United States - only the very best will be invited to a two-week tryout with Chivas USA from March 17-23. The Sueño MLS 2008 Winners for Dallas and Los Angeles will be officially announced on Sunday, March 30 live from Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Tex., where Chivas USA takes on FC Dallas in the two clubs' opening game of the 2008 MLS season.

Each of the 'Final 18' first impressed scouts from Chivas USA at the first round of open tryouts held in Bell Gardens, California on Presidents Day Weekend, which drew 2,000 participants from throughout the United States and several foreign countries. On Saturday, March 1, the 'Final 18' then emerged from an elite group of 60 semifinalists. A full roster is below.

Built by The Home Depot, Sueño MLS is a six-week long quest to find the best undiscovered young soccer player in the nation. Sueño MLS, kicked off President's Weekend with four days of open tryouts at the Bell Gardens Sport Center, home to Chivas USA's academy and youth teams, in the city of Bell Gardens, Calif. on the weekend beginning on Feb. 22, the stage shifted to Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Tex. where four days of identical open tryouts took place under the watchful eyes of the FC Dallas Coaching Staff and its scouts. This past Saturday in both Frisco and Los Angeles, each club's scouts watched as the 60 semifinalists players competed to make the final round.

The 'Final 18' will once again return to the Bell Gardens Sports Center, located at 8000 Park Lane, Bell Gardens, CA 90201, for two days of intense training the weekend of Saturday, March 8. The media and public are invited to attend. Thereafter, the Final 18 will face their biggest test, when they play a trial game at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. the evening of Thursday, March 13.

Sueño MLS returns to República Deportiva every Sunday at 11 a.m. ET (10:00 a.m. CT; 12 Noon PT) in what can be termed as a unique "reality show within a show" format. The show will culminate with the announcement of the Sueño MLS winner on Sunday, March 30, just hours before the start of the MLS season on Univision network TeleFutura between FC Dallas and Chivas USA live from Pizza Hut Park at 3 p.m. ET (2:00 p.m. CT; 12 Noon PT).

Sueño MLS 2008: Roster of 18 finalists for Chivas USA (in alphabetical order by last name):

Name Age Position Hometown NOTES

Gerson Blanco 17 MF Placentia, CA Mexican-American MF gave up job to focus on soccer

Santiago Castaño 17 MF Provo, UT Argentina native drove 10 hrs from Provo, UT with family

Edgar Espinoza 18 MF Los Angeles, CA Inspired each day by father's wishes of 'good luck'

Alonso Lara 16 GK Livingston, CA Michoacán, Mex. native admires FCB GK Víctor Valdés

Jaime Lara 18 MF Torrance, CA MF never gave up after reaching Sueño Final 24 in '07

John Lopez 17 FW Mission Hills, CA VUSC Blast standout admires Brazil MF Ronaldinho

Henry Melendez 16 GK Victorville, CA Mexican-American admires Mexico GK 'Memo' Ochoa

Christopher Montiel 17 FW Santa Clara, CA Torrance native also reached Sueño MLS Final 24 in '07

Juan Moreno 17 MF Compton, CA Mexican-American MF admires Mexico's Rafael Márquez

Heriberto Negrete Jr. 17 MF San Jacinto, CA Midfielder made Sueño MLS Round of 60 in '07

Luis Orozco 17 DF Riverside, CA Guadalajara, Mex. native encouraged to play by mom

Francisco Ortiz 16 FW La Puente, CA FW began playing at age 6 with dad and brother

Rodrigo Ortiz 20 MF La Puente, CA Michoacán, Mex. native inspired by dad's playing career

Servando Perez 17 MF Guadalupe, CA Midfielder admires Chivas de Guadalajara's Omar Bravo

Briant Reyes 16 MF Downey, CA Salvadoran-American MF admires Brazil's Robinho

Daniel Sánchez 15 FW Las Vegas, NV Young NV Devils standout made 5-hr trek from Las Vegas

Martin Torres 17 DF Bakersfield, CA Michoacán, Mex. native credits his brother for inspiration

Alexandre Urquilla 16 FW Los Angeles, CA Father played in El Salvador, encouraged him to play

SUEÑO MLS KEY DATES (Los Angeles & Dallas):

Weekend of March 8 Training for "The Final 18" (both cities)

March 13 "Final 18" Trial Game (Los Angeles)

March 15 "Final 18" Trial Game (Dallas)

March 17 - 23 Two-week trial for Finalists with Chivas USA and FC Dallas

March 30 Announcement of two Winners (one Dallas, one Los Angeles) on República Deportiva

Major League Soccer Stories from March 2, 2008

• Sueno MLS '08 Field Down to Final Eighteen in Dallas - MLS
• 'Final 18' Named for Sueño MLS 2008: The Dream Continues - MLS
• FC Dallas Coaches Select Final 18 For Sueno MLS '08 - FC Dallas

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