Midfielder Zach Pfeffer has been named to the 20-man roster for the inaugural Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game that will be played on Monday, August 4 at Providence Park in Portland, Oregon, the League announced today. Pfeffer just returned from Under-20 Men’s National Team duty, helping the squad to capture the 2014 NTC Invitational Tournament in Carson, California over the weekend.
“I’m very excited and honored to be selected as part of the Chipotle Homegrown team and excited to represent the Union as well as the other great Homegrown players around the League,” said Pfeffer.
Pfeffer, FC Dallas midfielder Danny Garcia and Real Salt Lake defender Carlos Salcedo will replace Montreal Impact’s Karl W. Ouimette and Wandrille Lefevre and Seattle Sounders FC defender DeAndre Yedlin. Ouimette and Lefevre had to withdraw from the game due to the Impact’s CONCACAF Champions League group match that has been scheduled for Tuesday, August 5, while Yedlin was named to the AT&T MLS All-Star team.
Twenty of Major League Soccer’s top Homegrown players will take on the Portland Timbers U-23s as part of the festivities leading up to the 2014 AT&T MLS All-Star Game. The game will kick off at 10 p.m. ET and will be streamed live on WatchESPN and MLSsoccer.com. Fans can secure free tickets to the game by visiting Chipotle.com/Homegrown. Tickets will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis and quantities are limited.
The Union’s first homegrown player signing, he was the fourth youngest player to sign an MLS contract at the age of 15. His MLS debut came against the Columbus Crew on September 17, 2011. He has represented the United States at the U-14, U-15, U-18 and U-20 levels and trained at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fl., as a part of the U.S. Soccer U-17 residency program. Pfeffer spent last season on loan with TSG Hoffenheim 1899 in Germany and has made four appearances, including one start for the Union this season.
2014 Chipotle MLS Homegrown Roster
Goalkeeper: Jon Kempin (Sporting Kansas City), Matt Lampson (Columbus Crew)
Defenders: Connor Lade (New York Red Bulls), Ashtone Morgan (Toronto FC), Shane O’Neill (Colorado Rapids), Erik Palmer-Brown (Sporting Kansas City), Carlos Salcedo (Real Salt Lake)
Midfielders: Steven Evans (Portland Timbers), Danny Garcia (FC Dallas), Zach Pfeffer (Philadelphia Union), Chris Ritter (Chicago Fire), Harry Shipp (Chicago Fire), Russell Teibert (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew)
Forwards: Caleb Calvert (Chivas USA), Bradford Jamieson IV (LA Galaxy), Sean Okoli (Seattle Sounders FC), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids), Tommy Thompson (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
