Perry Kitchen called up to U.S. Men’s National Team
D.C. United midfielder joins squad for match vs. Mexico on Apri1 15
Washington, D.C. (Apr. 13, 2015) – D.C. United has announced that midfielder Perry Kitchen has been selected to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the squad’s international friendly against Mexico on April 15 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Tex. Kitchen joins D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid on the 22-player roster.
Kitchen earned his first call-up to the national team in January and made his senior team debut on Feb. 8 in a friendly against Panama. He is coming off his first career two-goal game in D.C. United’s most recent game, a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls on Apr. 11.
One of D.C. United’s most durable players since he was selected third overall in the 2011 MLS SuperDraft, Kitchen has started at least 30 games in each of his first four seasons. In 2014, he scored a career-high five goals and tied a career high with four assists while helping lead United to the Eastern Conference's top seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs. The former Akron product was named D.C. United’s Most Valuable Player in 2013 and was a MLS Rookie of the Year finalist in 2011, when he became the first rookie in club history to lead the team in minutes played.
Kitchen has extensive youth national team experience, having represented the U.S. with the U-23 National Team in 2012 Olympic qualification. He has also played for the U.S. at the U-17 and U-20 levels. Kitchen competed in the U-17 World Championship in 2009 and the U-20 side in 2011 in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship.
U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION:
GOALKEEPERS (3):Bill Hamid (D.C. United), Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)
DEFENDERS (8): Ventura Alvarado (Club America), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), Brad Evans (Seattle Sounders FC), Greg Garza (Club Tijuana), Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy), Perry Kitchen (D.C. United), Brek Shea (Orlando City SC), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Toronto FC), Joe Corona (Club Tijuana), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Miguel Ibarra (Minnesota United FC), Lee Nguyen (New England Revolution)
FORWARDS (5): Juan Agudelo (New England Revolution), Julian Green (Hamburg), Jordan Morris (Stanford University), Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes), Gyasi Zardes (LA Galaxy)
Bill Hamid called up to U.S. Men’s National Team
D.C. United Homegrown goalkeeper joins squad for match vs. Mexico on April 15
Washington, D.C. (Apr. 12, 2015) – D.C. United has announced that Homegrown goalkeeper Bill Hamid has been selected to the U.S. Men’s National Team roster for the squad’s international friendly against Mexico on April 15 at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Tex.
Hamid has two career appearances for the U.S., most recently in a friendly against Ireland on Nov. 18, 2014. The 24-year-old D.C. United Academy product has started all five of D.C. United’s regular season games in 2015, recording three shutouts and 22 saves.
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 league’s 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. In his sixth season with the Black-and-Red, Hamid has 120 appearances (120 starts), 397 saves and 33 shutouts.
