WASHINGTON (Nov. 6, 2015) ā D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid has been selected to the U.S. Menās National Team roster for the first two matches of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifying, Nov. 13 vs. St. Vincent and the Grenadines in St. Louis, Missouri, and Nov. 17 vs. Trinidad and Tobago in Port of Spain, Trinidad.
Hamid, the 2014 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and a finalist for 2015 Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year, has two career appearances for the U.S. In 2015, he was called into the national team twice, for friendly matches against Mexico in April and against Costa Rica in October, and his most recent start came in a friendly against Ireland on Nov. 18, 2014.
The 24-year-old D.C. United Academy product is 12-10-5 in 27 appearances (27 starts) for D.C. United during the regular season and MLS Cup Playoffs in 2015. Hamid finished his sixth MLS regular season among league leaders in multiple major goalkeeping categories. He was the only qualifying goalkeeper in MLS to face more than five shots on goal per game (5.2) and to make more than four saves per game (4.04). Despite missing nine games due to injury, Hamid recorded double-digit victories for the second straight year (11), was second in saves percentage (75.9), fifth in saves (101) and seventh in shutouts (eight), and he posted the second longest shutout streak of the season (401 minutes). Hamid matched his regular-season career-high twice with eight saves at Portland on May 27 and at Montreal on Aug. 8. He also established a playoff career-high with eight saves against the New York Red Bulls on Nov. 1 in the first match of the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals.
In 2014, Hamid was named MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and selected to the MLS Best XI after finishing first in saves percentage (75.3), second in shutouts (10), third in goals against average (1.13), tied for fourth in wins (14) and fourth in saves (110). He was the only goalkeeper to finish the MLS regular season in the top three in saves percentage, shutouts and goals against average. Hamid set career highs in games played and started (30), minutes played (2,700) shutouts, saves and wins. He is the first Homegrown goalkeeper to win the leagueās top goalkeeping award, the first MLS Homegrown player to reach 100 MLS regular season games, and the first MLS Homegrown goalkeeper to be selected to the MLS All-Star Team.
In 2009, Hamid became the first D.C. United Academy player to sign a professional contract. He made history on May 5, 2010, becoming the youngest goalkeeper to win an MLS contest at 19 years and 161 days old. Hamid is D.C. Unitedās all-time leader in goalkeeper appearances (140), starts (140), minutes played (12,399), saves (476) and shutouts (38). He is ninth overall in team history in starts and minutes played.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (3): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Tim Howard (Everton)
DEFENDERS (8): Ventura Alvarado (Club America), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Mƶnchengladbach), Matt Miazga (New York Red Bulls), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham FC), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Miguel Ibarra (Club Leon), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Darlington Nagbe (Portland Timbers), DeAndre Yedlin (Sunderland)
FORWARDS (5): Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Alan Gordon (LA Galaxy), Jordan Morris (Stanford), Bobby Wood (Union Berlin), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)