U.S. men

Arena selects 20 players for friendly match in Scotland.

GLASGOW, Scotland (Tuesday, November 8, 2005) -- United States manager Bruce Arena has selected a roster of 20, a blend of European- and domestic-based players, to face Scotland at famed Hampden Park here.

The team, which includes 10 players based overseas, traveled to Scotland today and planned to train late this afternoon for a match that will kick off Saturday at 11 a.m. (ET) and be broadcast by Fox Soccer Channel.

"Despite the fact we've had a rash of injuries and some conflicts with clubs, we feel this game is an excellent test for our veteran players in Europe as well as some new players in the team," Arena said in a U.S. Soccer Federation press release. "We have a solid group and are looking forward to the challenge."

The roster boasts a wealth of experience, led by Brian McBride, a striker for Fulham in the English Premier League. With 90 caps to his credit, the U.S.'s second all-time leading scorer (29 goals) is just five shy of Eric Wynalda's team record.

At the other end, veteran goalkeeper Kasey Keller has collected 44 shutouts in 88 career matches, an average of one clean sheet for every two games played. Keeper Tim Howard of the EPL's Manchester United returns after blanking Panama 2-0 in the final World Cup qualifier October 12 in Foxborough, Mass.

Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley of PSV Eindhoven in the Netherlands has had a banner year for both club and country, posting career highs in both goals (four) and assists (four) for the national team while becoming the first American ever to play in the semifinals of the prestigious European Champions League.

The U.S. back-line looks to have a largely European flavor as well with 2002 World Cup veterans Gregg Berhalter (Energie Cottbus, Germany) and Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96, Germany) being called upon along with Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham, EPL). Jonathan Spector, on loan to the EPL's Charlton Athletic from Manchester United, makes his third appearance in a U.S. camp, while newcomers Benny Feilhaber, Heath Pearce and Chris Rolfe are all in search of their first appearance with the senior team.

Feilhaber's impressive performance at the 2005 World Youth (Under-20) Championship earned him a contract with Hamburg SV in the German Bundesliga.

Major League Soccer's D.C. United and the Kansas City Wizards each contributed three players to the squad heading to Glasgow. From the Wizards, MLS "Defender of the Year" Jim Conrad, midfielder Kerry Zavagnin and forward Josh Wolff, join United midfielders Ben Olsen, Santino Quaranta and Brian Carroll. All four helped the U.S. side capture the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup in July, the third time the Americans won the regional championship.

The most noticeable absences for the U.S. are midfielder and captain Claudio Reyna, who is sidelined for the EPL's Manchester City for the short term with knee and ankle injuries, and attacker Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy) and midfielder Steve Ralston (New England Revolution) who will play with their teams Sunday in MLS Cup 2005.

The U.S. has played Scotland five times, holding a lifetime record of 1-3-1, but the Americans haven't played in Scotland in 53 years. The team's lone match in Scotland came on August 30, 1952, when the Scots blanked the U.S. 6-0 in Glasgow.

The teams last met in the U.S.'s final preparation match before the 1998 World Cup, playing to a scoreless draw May 30, 1998, in Washington, D.C.

The U.S. already has accomplished its highest win total for a season with an overall record of 13-3-3. The American hit a pair of high marks in 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, finishing in the top spot in the final group for the first time ever, and qualifying first out of the CONCACAF region of North America, Central America and the Caribbean, for the first time in 71 years.

The Americans, ranked sixth after winning the Gold Cup, now are rated No. 7.

Forwards (4): James McFadden (Everton, England), Shaun Maloney (Glasgow Celtic), Garry O'Connor (Hibernian), Derek Riordan (Hibernian).