Q&A - Mo Knows

Time for another Q&A, this time with Toronto FC midfielder Maurice Edu. Write in the questions people! No seriously, the Blog is taking the afternoon off for a siesta.

Edu received his first cap in late 2007 during the United States' 1-0 win against Switzerland in Basel. He has since been a frequent participant in Bob Bradley's training camps and friendlies, earning five caps with his most recent appearance coming as a late sub in last week's game against England. On the club side of things, Edu is part of a Toronto FC team that is currently in the thick of an Eastern Conference battle - the club is just three points off of leaders New England. Toronto most recently defeated the Galaxy, 2-0, this past weekend.That's all you need to know. Ask away!

Pics from Today's Slightly Drier Training

Final Roster For Spain Set

With the addition of Colorado Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni, the U.S. roster for the June 4 showdown with Spain is done and dusted. Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder Landon Donovan continues to receive treatment on a strained groin, and is expected to join the team in New Jersey in advance of the match against Argentina. More than 58,000 tickets have been sold for the June 8 meeting with the world's No. 1 ranked team.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION

Goalkeepers (3): Dominic Cervi (out of contract), Brad Guzan (Chivas USA), Tim Howard (Everton FC)

Defenders (7): Carlos Bocanegra (out of contract), Dan Califf (FC Midtjylland), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Jay DeMerit (Watford FC), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock)

Midfielders (6): Freddy Adu (SL Benfica), DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers), Michael Bradley (SC Heerenveen), Maurice Edu (Toronto FC), Eddie Lewis (Derby County), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids)

Forwards (4): Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC), Nate Jaqua (out of contract), Eddie Johnson (Fulham FC), Josh Wolff (out of contract)

It has Been Awhile...

...since we've had such a raucous singalong on the team bus but today's trip to and from training session saw guys belting out the tunes. Tim Howard requested that the radio, set to KISS FM, be turned up and the driver obliged. What followed was a journey through the 80's as guys hit chords from Crowded House's "Don't Dream It's Over," Nina's "99 Red Balloons," and "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" from Dirty Dancing. The tunes didn't stop at lunch either - as Tim pointed out, The Bangles were on the radio in our meal room.

Put Pen to Paper

One of the Blog's favorite activities while in the offseason (a time spent working at soccer house when the MNT is not in session) is coming up with SOCCER SHOCKER, MARQUEE MATCHUP and PEAK PERFORMER for ussoccer.com's weekly Soccer Wire.

Sadly, while on the road we've not been able to indulge in this pastime - a shame, considering the amount of games and events going on around the soccer world these days.

So here's where we enlist the help of you readers out there: what can you contribute this week to one of these alliterative addenda in Soccer Wire?

Pics from Yesterday's Training

As you read, we didn't practice today due to the weather. Here are some pics from yesterday's training to tie you over though. The sun broke through the clouds here late in the day, so (fingers crossed) we'll be back on the field tomorrow...

The Rain in Spain ...

(a nod to English teachers across America, particularly our 11th grade teacher Mrs. Kinsley...)

Heavy rains appeared to have followed us from England, as the skies opened for a several hours last night and into the early morning, forcing the cancellation of today's on-field session. Fitness coach Pierre Barrieu will lead a series of gym sessions at the team hotel later this afternoon.

On the bright side, players and staff got a note stuck under their doors this morning informing them of the schedule change, meaning everyone got to sleep in a little bit later. It's kind of like when you wake up to go to school and find out it's been snowing all night and school has been cancelled - at least for those of us who grew up in places where it actually snows. See all you So Cal folks: living in Southern California does have its disadvantages!

Roster Additions

The U.S. camp will grow by three by tomorrow morning as Maurice Edu, Brad Guzan and Frankie Hejduk make their way to Santander. All three saw action in the England match last Wednesday, with Guzan and Hejduk entering at halftime while Edu replaced Ricardo Clark in the 68th minute. Guzan and Hejduk will be sharing a flight from Los Angeles, where last night Chivas USA collected a 2-0 shutout against Columbus en route to their third straight victory and a share of the top spot in the Western Conference. Mo flies in from Toronto after his side improved their home record to an unbeaten 4-0-2 with a 2-0 win against the Galaxy.

Decisions on remaining roster moves for the Spain game are TBD.

Spector Surgery

Bad news on the injury front for U.S. defender Jonathan Spector. Diagnosed with a torn labrum that has failed to respond to treatment, Spector is traveling to Los Angeles to consult with U.S. team doctor Michael Gerhardt. Surgery is likely to be required, which would sideline the 22-year-old defender for 3-6 months and prevent him from participating in the 2008 Olympic Games.

Scouting in Santander

The MNT Blog headed into Santander last night and, after a great seafood dinner, settled in at the local to watch Spain take on Peru. Spain lined up like this in Huelva:

--------------------Casillas--------------------
S. Ramos - Puyol - Marchena - Capdevilla
Xavi -----Xabi Alonso -- Iniesta --David Silva
----------Torres--------David Villa----------


On a slick pitch in Huelva, Spain grabbed the lead in the first half and carried the advantage late into the game. However, an opportunistic header from substitute Hernan Rengifo tied the game for Peru. The equalizer galvanized the hosts, and Luis Aragones' side went in search of a winner. It finally came in stoppage time, when Joan Capdevilla smashed a Cesc Fabregas cross into the roof of the net to give the Spanish team the win...