PORTLAND, Ore. – Portland Timbers U-23s defender/midfielder Eric Miller was named to a 21-player roster that will represent the United States in the 2013 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey from June 21-July 13, it was announced today by U.S. U-20 head coach Tab Ramos.
Miller recently competed with the U.S. U-20 National Team at the Toulon Tournament in Toulon, France and will remain with the national team through the U-20 World Cup.
"We're very happy about the group we selected," said Ramos. "Obviously, it's always difficult. Wednesday night we were up till late selecting the final couple players. It's always hard to let a player go who's worked so hard to get here, and we know that we have 35 players who are deserving of going to the World Cup."
The U.S. U-20 National Team opens Group A play on Friday, June 21, against Spain at Ali Sami Yen Arena in Istanbul, Turkey, at 10:45 a.m. (Pacific) live on ESPN2. The United States will then face France on Monday, June 24, in Istanbul, at 7:45 a.m. (Pacific) live on ESPN2 and conclude group play Thursday, June 27 against Ghana at Kadir Has Stadium in Kayseri, Turkey, at 9:45 a.m. (Pacific), live on ESPNU. All three group stage matches will also air on WatchESPN.
Ramos’ 21-player roster features 17 players from the team that helped the U.S. U-20 National Team to a runner-up finish at the 2013 CONCACAF U-20 Championship earlier this year.
Miller, in his second season with the Timbers U-23s, played in three of the U.S. U-20 National Team’s four group matches at the Toulon Tournament, starting matches against France and Colombia. He helped the team to a second-place finish in the recent CONCACAF U-20 Championship, starting a match against Costa Rica, to help the U.S. U-20 National Team qualify for the World Cup. Miller has been a member of the U.S. U-20 National Team since 2012, and earned seven caps with the team last year.
The Woodbury, Minn., native helped the Timbers U-23s to a perfect 3-0-0 start to the 2013 Premier Development League campaign before departing for national team duty on May 24. Miller, a collegiate standout at Creighton University, has recorded two goals and one assist in three regular-season matches and also contributed a goal in the team’s U.S. Open Cup victory over the Sacramento Gold on May 14 at JELD-WEN Field. He was also a part of the Timbers U-23s squad in 2012 that reached the PDL Western Conference semifinal.
