CHICAGO, Ill. - The U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team, which includes Bronco sophomores Steve Cronin and Ryan Cochrane, will continue their preparations for the FIFA World Youth Championship with a training camp in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., this week, followed by a three-game trip to Portugal in March.In all, the U.S. are scheduled to play four matches in 12 days - including two internationals - before taking one final break prior to departing for the United Arab Emirates and the world championship on March 19. The USA's first match in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship is scheduled for March 27 in Abu Dhabi against Paraguay.

In Florida for their final domestic training camp before the world championship, the U.S. faces the Colorado Rapids on Feb. 22 at 4 p.m. at Nova Southeastern University. The U.S. then travels to Portugal on February 27, where they will compete in the Madeira International Tournament. The U.S. faces Portugal on March 3 at 11 a.m. local time (6 a.m. ET), Norway on March 5 at 2 p.m. local time (9 a.m. ET) and a Madeira Regional Select Team on March 7 at 10 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET).

"The chance to play four matches, including two internationals, in 13 days is invaluable preparation for the team as we prepare for United Arab Emirates," said U.S. Under-20 MNT head coach Thomas Rongen. "There are still a few things we are working on, and we'll use the next two weeks to get our team together and make some final decisions about this squad."

Rongen selected a total of 22 players for the matches - although only 19 players will be with the team in Florida and 20 players will travel to Portugal. Arturo Alvarez, Mike Magee, Justin Moose, Drew Moor and Heath Pearce are five players who will compete in this camp after missing out on November's CONCACAF qualifying tournament. From the players involved in this series of matches, Rongen is expected to select his 20-man roster for the FIFA World Youth Championship.

U.S. Under-20 captain Bobby Convey will rejoin the team in Florida for his first Under-20 action since the qualifying tournament. Convey has spent the last two months training with the full U.S. Men's National Team, starting and impressing in the team's first three matches of 2003. Convey played just four games with the Under-20s in 2002, but has invaluable experience at the Under-20 level, having participated in the 2001 FIFA World Youth Championship in Argentina, where he led the team with two assists in four games.

Nine of the U.S. players invited to camp currently earn their living in Major League Soccer, including the D.C. United trio of Santino Quaranta, Devin Barclay and Convey, the Dallas Burn duo of Jordan Stone and Ed Johnson, a pair of MetroStars rookies - Ricardo Clark and Mike Magee, the Chicago Fire's Justin Mapp and Alvarez of the San Jose Earthquakes.

Quaranta, who leads the U.S with four goals in five appearances in 2003, will train and play with the U.S. in Florida, but will not travel to Portugal for personal reasons. Rongen will then select 17 of the remaining 18 players in Florida to join Alvarez and the European-based duo of Frank Simek and David Johnson in Portugal. Alvarez is currently in Spain participating in La Manga Cup with the Earthquakes.

The eleven college players named to the roster joined Rongen in camp on February 13 to spend six days focusing on conditioning, before being joined by eight MLS players.

The U.S. Under-20s have recorded a 21-8-10 record since January 2002, more than doubling their opponents' scoring output (73 goals for; 35 goals against).

U.S. Under-20 MNT Schedule

Date Opponent Location
February 22 Colorado Rapids Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
March 3 Portugal Madeira, Portugal
March 5 Norway Madeira, Portugal
March 7 Madeira Select Madeira, Portugal
March 27 Paraguay Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
March 30 Germany Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
April 2 Korea Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
April 5-6 Round of 16 United Arab Emirates
April 9 Quarterfinals United Arab Emirates
April 12 Semifinals United Arab Emirates
April 16 Third Place / Final United Arab Emirates

*only participating in Madeira International Tournament

Head Coach: Thomas Rongen (Potomac Falls, Va.)
Asst. Coach: Cle Kooiman (Alta Loma, Calif.)
GK Coach: Dave Dir (Dallas, Texas)
Scout: Fernando Clavijo (Davie, Fla.)
Strength & Conditioning: Pierre Barrieu (Charlottesville, Va.)
Team Coordinator: Erik Carlson (Chicago)
Doctor: Mel Hayashi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.)
Doctor: Dwight Dahms
Trainer: Kelly Flynn (Apple Valley, Minn.)
Trainer: Oliver Ramiro (Chicago)
Equipment Manager: Bryan Rosenbaum (Tuscon, Ariz.)