U.S. adds 16 to national roster

Midfielder Andres Perea was among 16 young players added to the United States roster for the Jan. 31 exhibition against Trinidad and Tobago at Orlando, Fla., after he was approved for a switch of affiliation from Colombia by FIFA.

Perea had played for Colombia’s under-17 and under-20 teams.

The added players had been training with U.S. under-23 coach Jason Kreis ahead of the delayed Olympic qualifiers for the North and Central American and Caribbean region, which will be played from March 18-30 in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Also added to the roster were goalkeepers Matt Freese and JT Marcinkowski; defenders Julian Araujo, George Bello, Kyle Duncan, Aaron Herrera, Mauricio Pineda, Miles Robinson and Sam Vines; midfielders Benji Michel, Tanner Tessmann and Jackson Yueill; and forwards Daryl Dike, Jesus Ferreira and Jonathan Lewis.

In other news:

• Four players and the president of Brazilian soccer club Palmas died in a plane crash on Sunday in the northern state of Tocantins, the team said.

The victims were identified as president Lucas Meira and players Lucas Praxedes, Guilherme Noe, Ranule and Marcus Molinari, as well as the pilot. The players were on their way to a match against Vila Nova.