By Ridge Mahoney, Soccer America Magazine senior editor, in Boston
U.S. coach Bruce Arena has selected the 20 players he will take to Panama City for a CONCACAF Group A qualifying match Wednesday against Panama, which beat Jamaica 2-1 Saturday in Kingston to move into a tie with El Salvador in second place with records of 1-1-0 (3 points).
The U.S. (1-0-1, 4 points) has released goalkeeper Tim Howard to rejoin Manchester United and has not recalled Eddie Gaven (MetroStars) and Eddie Johnson (Dallas) after they were released to play for their MLS teams last weekend while the Americans beat El Salvador, 2-0.
Metros keeper Jonny Walker has rejoined the team and he will back up Kasey Keller, who played in the 1-1 tie with Jamaica last month and is expected to start against Panama.
Working as the ''first team'' in a Monday 10-v-10 scrimmage at Harvard University were goalkeeper Keller; defenders Greg Vanney, Eddie Pope, Carlos Bocanegra, and Frankie Hejduk; midfielders DaMarcus Beasley, Claudio Reyna and Landon Donovan; and forwards Brian Ching and Clint Mathis.
Opposing them were Walker in goal, a back line of Bobby Convey, Cory Gibbs, Oguchi Oneywu and Steve Cherundolo; midfielders Kerry Zavagnin, Eddie Lewis, and Cobi Jones; and forwards Brian McBride and Conor Casey.
Arena acknowledged there would be changes from the 11 that started agsinst El Salvador last Saturday, but aside from confirming Howard would not start in goal, didn't divulge any other details.
The team was scheduled to fly by charter plane Tuesday to Panama City and train in the late afternoon. The nations have never met in World Cup qualifying play. in the nationsÆ only meeting in a full international, the U.S. beat Panama 2-1 in Dallas during the 1993 Gold Cup on goals by Tom Dooley and Eric Wynalda.