Photo: Terrance Coakley / Orlando Soccer Journal
After much anticipation following impressive individual 2020 seasons, Orlando City duo Chris Mueller and Daryl Dike received their first official call-up to the United States men’s national team on Monday.
The USMNT is scheduled to play an international friendly against El Salvador on Dec. 9 in Fort Lauderdale, where Mueller and Dike could potentially earn their first appearances for the United States.
Kickoff for the match is at 7:30 p.m. and will televise on ESPN and TUDN.
Mueller (pictured above) scored a team-high 10 goals and recorded seven assists this season as the Lions qualified for the MLS Cup playoffs for the first time in club history.
Daryl Dike, left, during a 3-1 playoff loss to New England on Nov. 29 (Photo: Terrance Coakley / Orlando Soccer Journal).
Meanwhile, Dike finished with eight goals and four assists in 17 appearances in his rookie season with Orlando.
The pair are the first Orlando City players to receive a call-up to the U.S., since Dom Dwyer in November of 2017. The December camp will have an MLS heavy roster, consisting of many first time call-ups alongside the Lions duo.
Here’s the 22-player roster named by head coach Gregg Berhalter:
DETAILED ROSTER BY POSITION (Club; Caps/Goals):
Goalkeepers (3): CJ Dos Santos (Benfica/POR; 0/0), Bill Hamid (D.C. United; 7/0), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; 0/0)
Defenders (8): Julian Araujo (LA Galaxy; 0/0), Kyle Duncan (New York Red Bulls; 0/0), Marco Farfan (Portland Timbers; 0/0, Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls; 17/3), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; 1/0), Mauricio Pineda (Chicago Fire; 0/0), Sam Vines (Colorado Rapids; 1/0), Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC; 12/2)
Midfielders (5): Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; 1/0), Kellyn Acosta (Colorado Rapids; 23/2), Frankie Amaya (FC Cincinnati; 0/0), Cole Bassett (Colorado Rapids; 0/0), Sebastian Lletget (LA Galaxy; 16/3)
Forwards (6): Ayo Akinola (Toronto FC/CAN; 0/0), Efrain Alvarez (LA Galaxy; 0/0), Paul Arriola (D.C. United; 33/5), Daryl Dike (Orlando City SC; 0/0), Djordje Mihailovic (Chicago Fire; 5/1), Chris Mueller (Orlando City SC; 0/0)
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