Jones, Donovan Headline Tonight's USA vs. Mexico Tilt in Ontario
May 31, 2019 - Major Arena Soccer League (MASL)
Ontario Fury News Release
Ontario, CA - The U.S. National Arena Soccer Team is set to take on rival Mexico tonight at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario. The blockbuster exhibition match, which is scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m. PT, will feature the highly anticipated reunion of former American FIFA World Cup stars Jermaine Jones and Landon Donovan. The two outdoor legends will be joined on the Stars and Stripes roster by indoor legend and recent Ontario Fury signing Frank Tayou as well as by the forward's club teammates Israel Sesay, DeBray Hollimon, Justin Stinson and brother Uzi Tayou.
Another trio of Ontario players will be donning the jersey of Mexico in Robert Tornel and brothers Juan Carlos Gonzalez and Manuel Gonzalez.
Tickets for the clash between the United States and El Tri, which is hosted by the Fury and presented by Blink Fitness, start at $10 and have been going fast. They may be purchased at www.ontariofury.com.
Ex-U.S. Men's National Team aces Jones and Donovan both came out of retirement to embark on their Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) careers during the recently concluded season, and both adapted exceptionally well. While the Fury's Jones tore through opposition defenses in his side's final five games en route to a 2.8 points-per-game average that ended up tied for second-best in the league, fellow midfielder Donovan posted a strong 2.0 points-per game average over the course of eight appearances with the San Diego Sockers.
Over the course of the past two decades, Jones made a name for himself courtesy of numerous appearances in the top flights of Germany, England and Turkey as well as in Major League Soccer and for the United States, including in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. During that same time period, Donovan shined in three separate World Cups while spending the brunt of his career stateside with the San Jose Earthquakes and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Inland Empire native sits tied for top all-time goal-scorer for the Red, White and Blue with 57 strikes.
Arguably the most dominant attacker in the MASL in recent years, Franck Tayou topped the regular season charts for both points and goals scored in 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18, taking home three straight MVP awards and leading Soles de Sonora to two Ron Newman Cup Finals. After also leading the league in points-per-game average in his final two seasons at Sonora, the now 29-year-old moved on to the Monterrey Flash for the 2018-19 season and again won the goal-scoring race while also reaching yet another championship match.
Complete rosters for both the U.S. and Mexico National Arena Soccer Teams may be found below. Fans interested in attending the historic duel between the two regional giants should visit www.ontariofury.com for tickets.
Roster - U.S. National Arena Soccer Team
Name Position Club team
Danny Waltman Goalkeeper Tacoma Stars
Israel Sesay Defender Ontario Fury
Uzi Tayou Defender Ontario Fury
DeBray Hollimon Defender Ontario Fury
Travis Pittman Defender San Diego Sockers
Gordy Gurson Midfielder Forida Tropics
Brian Farber Midfielder San Diego Sockers
Taylor Bond Midfielder San Diego Sockers
Justin Stinson Midfielder Ontario Fury
Landon Donovan Midfielder San Diego Sockers
Nick Perera Forward Tacoma Stars
Franck Tayou Forward Ontario Fury
Jermaine Jones Forward Ontario Fury
Kraig Chiles Forward San Diego Sockers
Team staff
Name Role Club team affiliation
Phil Salvagio Head Coach San Diego Sockers
Chiky Luna Assistant Coach San Diego Sockers
Bernie Lilavois General Manager Ontario Fury
Kevin Milliken President N/A
Roster - Mexico National Arena Soccer Team
Name Position Club team
Raul Sarabia Goalkeeper San Diego Sockers 2
Manuel Rojo Defender San Diego Sockers
Ismael Rojo Defender San Diego Sockers 2
Cesar Cerda Defender San Diego Sockers
Christian Gutierrez Defender San Diego Sockers
Manuel Gonzalez Defender Ontario Fury
Raymundo Contreras Defender San Diego Sockers
Uziel Gonzalez Midfielder San Diego Sockers 2
Brandon Escoto Midfielder San Diego Sockers
Rene Flores Midfielder San Diego Sockers 2
Robert Tornel Midfielder Ontario Fury
Hiram Ruiz Midfielder San Diego Sockers
Kevin Pizeno Forward San Diego Sockers 2
Juan Carlos Gonzalez Forward Ontario Fury
Team staff
Name Role Club team affiliation
Rene Ortiz Head Coach San Diego Sockers
Victor Melendez Assistant Coach San Diego Sockers
Luis Borrego Assistant Coach Monterrey Flash
Eusebio Martinez Fitness Coach N/A
Salvador Manzo Manager N/A
Carlos Luna Media N/A
Major Arena Soccer League Stories from May 31, 2019
- Dallas Sidekicks Hold International Tryouts - Dallas Sidekicks
- Stars Sign Free Agent Douglas Lima - Tacoma Stars
- Jones, Donovan Headline Tonight's USA vs. Mexico Tilt in Ontario - Ontario Fury
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