PABLO MASTROENI TO APPEAR FOR TEAM USA IN NOV. 17 INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY VERSUS EL SALVADOR

Rapids Midfielder Makes First Appearance Since 2002 FIFA World Cup

DENVER (Tuesday, October 29, 2002) - U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bruce Arena has chosen a 23-man roster - including Rapids midfielder Pablo Mastroeni - that will train in preparation for the international friendly against El Salvador on Sunday, November 17 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN beginning at 1 p.m. MT, and fans can also follow the action live online via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker.

Mastroeni, who appeared in three of Team USA's five matches at the historic 2002 FIFA World Cup, played a large hand in the opening 3-2 upset of top-seeded Portugal and in the unprecedented Round of 16 victory over Mexico in Jeonju, Korea. The hard-tackling midfielder will look to further his successful 2002 campaign with the national side as the United States has allowed only four goals in the eleven games this year in which Mastroeni has been in the line-up (including the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup Championship campaign). As the only member of Arena's World Cup squad not to have recorded a cap in qualifying play leading up to Korea/Japan, Mastroeni will continue to stake his claim as a fixture in the midfield line-up.

In addition to Mastroeni, three players from the U.S. World Cup side return to the nation's capital, led by the strike force tandem of San Jose Earthquakes forward Landon Donovan and MetroStars forward Clint Mathis. The pair is also joined by Chicago Fire midfielder DaMarcus Beasley. All ten MLS teams are represented on the training camp roster, with the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution each contributing four players.

The United States has not faced an international opponent since the team's historic quarterfinal finish at the 2002 FIFA World Cup in June. The team will train in the Washington, D.C. area beginning Nov. 10.

Team USA holds an 8-1-4 lifetime advantage against El Salvador, and has never lost a meeting on home soil. The Nov. 17 match will mark the first contest between the CONCACAF nations in Washington, D.C., where the U.S. has collected an 8-3-3 record. RFK last hosted an international friendly May 12 of this year, when the USA beat Uruguay 2-1 during the "Nike Road to Korea."

The teams last met in the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinal earlier this year, with Brian McBride netting a hat trick en route to a 4-0 U.S. victory on Jan. 27 at the Rose Bowl. The United States went on to capture the Gold Cup championship, beginning the impressive form that would carry through to Korea/Japan.

Tickets for the Nov. 17 friendly, which is being presented to fans by LEGO, range in price from $22 to $50 and are available now through all Ticketmaster outlets (D.C. 202-432-7328; Baltimore 410-481-7328; Northern Virginia 703-573-7328; out of state 1-800-551-7328). Fans can also order online at www.ussoccer.com. Discount rates for groups of 20 or more are available by calling the D.C. United ticket offices at 703-478-6600.

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