Houston Dynamo Academy defender Hans Leza and Dynamo Youth Academy midfielder Cesar Cordova have been called into the U.S. U-15 boys national team for the 2019 Torneo delle Nazioni in Gradisca, Italy from April 23 to May 5. The tournament marks the first international games of the year for the U-15s, who are preparing for this summer’s 2019 Concacaf U-15 Boys’ Championship.
Both Leza and Cordova took part in January's U-15 training camp earlier this year. Leza, who played up an age group with the Dynamo U-17s last week at the Generation adidas Cup, has made 14 starts for the U-15s this season in U.S. Soccer Development Academy play. Cordova has made 12 starts for the Dynamo Youth U-15s as well as nine appearances (eight starts) playing up for the U-17s. Houston Dynamo Dash Youth is an affiliate club of the Dynamo organization that collaborates in youth development.
The USA will face India on April 28, Slovenia on April 29 and Mexico on April 30 in the tournament’s group stage, with placement games following the group stage. The USA has participated at the last two editions of the Torneo delle Nazioni, finishing third overall last year after an undefeated group stage and taking home the title in 2017.
U.S. U-15 BNT Roster by Position (Club; Hometown)
GOALKEEPERS (2): Damian Alguera (De Anza Force; San Jose, Calif.), Gabriel Slonina (Chicago Fire; Addison, Ill.)
DEFNDERS (6): John Carlos Cortez (New York Red Bulls; Ridgewood, N.J.), Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.), Antonio Leone (Los Angeles Football Club; Long Beach, Calif.), Hans Leza (Houston Dynamo; Houston, Texas), Angel Martinez (Seattle Sounders FC; Everett, Wash.), Devan Tanton (UE Cornella/ESP; Barcelona, Spain)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Kenan Hot (New York Red Bulls; Lincroft, N.J.), Nicolas Perez Guillen (Deportivo Toluca FC/MEX; Guadalajara, Mexico), Allan Rodriguez (Chicago Fire; Elkhart, Ind.), Evan Rotundo (San Diego Surf; La Mesa, Calif.), Leonardo Torres (San Antonio FC; San Antonio, Texas), Aethan Yohannes (AZ Alkmaar/NED; Springfield, Va.)
FORWARDS (5): Austin Brummett (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Osvaldo Cisneros (Sporting Kansas City; Omaha, Neb.), Cesar Cordova (Houston Dynamo; Humble, Texas), Luca Koleosho (CF Reus Deportiu/ESP; Trumbull, Conn.), Federico Oliva (Atletico Madrid/ESP; Madrid, Spain)
