Withdrawals force addition of 5 more players to roster
Major League Soccer announced five additions to MLS Homegrown Game rosters ahead of the match to be played Tuesday at ESPN Wide World of Sports in Kissimmee. The five players will join a 24-player roster that will face off against the U-20 team from Chivas de Guadalajara.
The five new homegrown players are midfielders Efraín Álvarez (LA Galaxy) and Clément Bayiha (Montreal Impact); defenders George Campbell (Atlanta United) and Andre Reynolds II (Chicago Fire); and goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski (San Jose Earthquakes).
The additions will replace defenders Daniel Kinumbe (Montreal Impact) and Donovan Pines (D.C. United) and goalkeeper Matt Freese (Philadelphia Union), who withdrew this week.
The Homegrown Game is part of a week of MLS All-Star Game festivities in the Orlando area.
The game will be a familiar experience for Álvarez and Marcinkowski, who are the only two players to have made an appearance in a past Homegrown Game. At 17 years old, Álvarez will be one of the youngest players on the roster, selected after contributing two assists during eight matches for the Galaxy this season.
As part of the U-17 Mexican National Team that will play in the FIFA U-17 World Cup this fall, Álvarez will face several of his national teammates on the Chivas roster. Marcinkowski brings similar international experience in goal, representing the U.S. national team that reached the quarterfinals of the 2017 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Bayiha and Reynolds have also risen through the youth development systems of their respective countries. Bayiha played for Canada most recently in the CONCACAF U-20 Championship while Reynolds II represented the U-19 U.S. national team.
After playing regularly with Atlanta United 2 throughout the USL Championship season, Campbell recently signed a Homegrown Player contract that will become effective at the start of 2020, when he will begin his MLS career. The five players will join a team coached by Marcelo Neveleff, the academy director for Orlando City SC.
The Homegrown Game will kick off at 5 p.m. at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, ahead of the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge. Tickets to the Homegrown Game include access to the skills challenge and are available for purchase on the MLS All-Star website.