April 23, 2007
SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Incoming Santa Clara University freshman Jalil Anibaba earned a spot on the United States Under-20 roster for the Americans' game against Argentina on Tuesday, May 15. Former Bronco Amaechi Igwe, now a member of the New England Revolution, also earned a spot on the squad that will play the reigning Under-20 world champions at PAETEC Park in Rochester, N.Y. Anibaba is just one of three non-professionals on the roster along with Alec Dufty (Evansville) and Julian Valentin (Wake Forest).
Anibaba (Davis, Calif.) will be looking to make his third appearance with the Under-20 team after making a big impact on the U.S. U18 team. He played for the U20s against SMU on March 26 in a 3-2 win and against Haiti on March 28 in a 2-1 win. He entered as a sub on both occasions. With the U18s, he recently completed a training camp at the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla., where the team played Virginia, UCONN and the Under-17 team. Two other Broncos also attended training camp in Florida, incoming freshman goalkeeper Kevin Klasila and current Bronco freshman Ricky Character. All three players appeared for the U18s against the U17 team.
Anibaba also traveled with the U18 team to Mexico for the Copa Chivas in February, along with Santa Clara freshman Stephen McCarthy. He had an outstanding career at Davis (CA) Senior High School and was named all-league from 2004-06 and All-Metro in 2005 and 2006, while being named the league's defensive player of the year in 2005. He also led his team to a section championship in 2005 and a league championship in 2006.
In 2007, Igwe has played three times for the Under-20 team, including one start, to bring his total caps at the U20 level to eight. He helped the Americans earn a berth in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup, which will take place from June 30-July 22 in six cities in Canada. Igwe competed with the Under-20 national team in six matches in 2006, including a closed-door scrimmage against Haiti, which did not count as an international match. He saw time in two matches against Canada in Toronto in early July, before helping the U.S. to a second-place finish at the 2006 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland in early August. In Canada, Igwe scored his first goal for the team on a header for the only U.S. goal on July 9th, and also assisted on Josmer Altidore's game-winning goal late in the first half in the previous game on July 7th. Igwe started two games in the Milk Cup.
Igwe was drafted in the first round of the 2007 MLS Cup SuperDraft after leaving Santa Clara following his freshman year. He scored five goals and notched three assists in 23 games for SCU in 2006, helping the team to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Tournament. He has yet to appear for New England, which is 1-1-1 in MLS in 2007.
U.S. Under 20 Men's National Team Roster
GOALKEEPERS (2): Alec Dufty (University of Evansville), Chris Seitz (Real Salt Lake)
DEFENDERS (5): Amaechi Igwe (New England Revolution), Quavas Kirk (L.A. Galaxy), Nathan Sturgis (L.A. Galaxy), Julian Valentin (Wake Forest University), Tim Ward (Columbus Crew)
MIDFIELDERS (5): Freddy Adu (Real Salt Lake), Jalil Anibaba (Davis, Calif.), Bryan Arguez (D.C. United), Rodrigo Lopez (Chivas USA), Danny Szetela (Columbus Crew)
FORWARDS: (4): Josmer Altidore (N.Y. Red Bulls), Jesus Padilla (Chivas de Guadalajara), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Johann Smith (Carlisle United)
