U.S. releases qualifying camp roster

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CHICAGO -- FC Dallas midfielder Brek Shea and New York Red Bulls forward Juan Agudelo are among 23 players picked for the U.S. under-23 roster for a training camp before Olympic qualifying next month.

Shea and Agudelo were among five newcomers selected Thursday by coach Caleb Porter. The group will practice for 10 days in Frisco, Texas, then play an exhibition game there Feb. 29 against Mexico's under-23 team.

Also new to the group are defenders Perry Kitchen of D.C. United, Ike Opara of the San Jose Earthquakes and Alfredo Morales of Germany's Hertha Berlin.

Shea and Agudelo have been regular selections with the full national team and will miss its Feb. 29 exhibition at Italy.

Five players based outside the U.S. will arrive late, with forward Terrence Boyd reporting Feb. 23, and midfielders Joe Corona and Mix Diskerud, forward Joe Gyau and Morales arriving Feb. 26.

The U.S. starts Olympic qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region March 22 against Cuba, then plays Canada (March 24) and El Salvador (March 26), with all three games in Nashville, Tenn.

The other group includes Mexico, Honduras, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago. The top two teams in each group advance to the semifinals March 31 in Kansas City, Kan. The semifinal winners qualify for the London Olympics.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid (D.C.), Sean Johnson (Chicago)

Defenders: Greg Garza (Tijuana, Mexico), Perry Kitchen (D.C.), Alfredo Morales (Hertha Berlin, Germany), Ike Opara (San Jose), Kofi Sarkodie (Houston), Zarek Valentin (Montreal), Jorge Villafana (Chivas USA).

Midfielders: Joe Corona (Tijuana, Mexico), Mix Diskerud (Ghent, Belgium), Dilly Duka (Columbus), Jared Jeffrey (Mainz, Germany), Amobi Okugo (Philadelphia), Michael Stephens (Los Angeles).

Forwards: Freddy Adu (Philadelphia), Juan Agudelo (New York), Terrence Boyd (Borussia Dortmund, Germany), Teal Bunbury (Kansas City), Joe Gyau (Hoffenheim, Germany), Jack McInerney (Philadelphia), Brek Shea (Dallas), Tony Taylor (Estoril Praia, Portugal).

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

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