US goes with backups for Gold Cup

JOHANNESBURG — Forward Brian Ching and defender Steve Cherundolo are back from injuries and on the U.S. roster for next month’s CONCACAF Gold Cup, joined primarily by national team backups.

Forwards Freddy Adu and Charlie Davies, defender Heath Pearce and goalkeeper Luis Robles are the only holdovers on the roster that also were with the U.S. at the Confederations Cup, where the Americans upset No. 1 Spain on Wednesday to advance to Sunday’s final.

The roster was announced Thursday.

Ching and defender Michael Parkhurst are the only players who were on the 2007 U.S. roster for the Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean. Cherundolo, defender Jimmy Conrad and forward Santino Quaranta return from the 2005 Gold Cup roster.

The new roster will gather Tuesday in Seattle, where the U.S. starts the quest for its third straight Gold Cup title on Saturday night against Grenada. Just six players on the roster have more than 10 international appearances and seven have never played for the national team. The roster averages eight appearances, down from the Confederations Cup roster’s average of 27.

Ching, a regular starting forward, injured a hamstring in late May, causing him to miss a pair of World Cup qualifiers and the Confederations Cup.

Cherundolo, the starting right back, hurt his right hip Jan. 10 playing for Hannover in an exhibition against Osnabrueck. He had surgery in mid-April, missing the end of the Bundesliga season. He has not played for the national team since a World Cup qualifier against Cup on Oct. 11.

The U.S. completes its first round against Honduras on July 8 at Washington, D.C., and Haiti on July 11 at Foxborough, Mass.

While Jon Busch is on the roster, he will remain with the Chicago Fire unless the other goalkeepers are hurt or suspended.

The roster:

Goalkeepers: Jon Busch (Chicago Fire), Troy Perkins (IK Start, Norway), Luis Robles (Kaiserslautern, Germany)

Defenders: Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City), Clarence Goodson (IK Start, Norway), Jay Heaps (New England), Chad Marshall (Columbus), Michael Parkhurst (Nordsjaellands, Denmark), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock, Germany)

Midfielders: Davy Arnaud (Kansas City), Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Colin Clark (Colorado), Sam Cronin (Toronto), Brad Evans (Seattle), Stuart Holden (Houston), Logan Pause (Chicago), Robbie Rogers (Columbus)

Forwards: Freddy Adu (AS Monaco), Brian Ching (Houston), Kenny Cooper (Dallas), Charlie Davies (Hammarby IF, Sweden), Santino Quaranta (D.C.)