COLUMBUS – Columbus Crew SC today announced that goalkeeper Zack Steffen, midfielder Wil Trapp and forward Gyasi Zardes have received international call-ups from the United States Men’s National Team ahead of a pair of friendlies against Ecuador and Chile.
The United States is slated to face Ecuador at Orlando City Stadium in Orlando, Florida on Thursday, March 21. The U.S. has an all-time record of 4-5-5 against Ecuador, with the last meeting between the two countries taking place during the quarterfinals of the 2016 Copa America Centenario. On that occasion, the Americans won 2-1, with Gyasi Zardes scoring the game-winning goal. Following the match against Ecuador, the Stars and Stripes then play a friendly against Chile at BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston, Texas on Tuesday, March 26. Currently, the Americans have an all-time record of 3-5-2 against Chile, with the last meeting between the two sides taking place in 2015, as La Roka defeated the Stars and Stripes 3-2.
Goalkeeper Zack Steffen has earned eight caps with the U.S. Men's National Team. He made his debut with the American senior squad as a substitute in a friendly match last year against Bosnia-Herzegovina (January 28). Steffen’s most recent appearance for the U.S. came earlier this year in a friendly against Costa Rica (February 2), in which he registered a shutout. In 2018, Steffen recorded a 525-minute shutout streak in regular-season action from April 28 - June 13 – the longest streak in Crew SC history – en route to being named the U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year, the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and was named to the 2018 MLS Best XI.
Crew SC captain Wil Trapp has earned 13 caps for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He earned his first cap for the Stars and Stripes on January 28, 2015 in a friendly at Chile, entering as a second-half substitute. Trapp made his first start and captained the senior squad for the first time in a friendly match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on January 28. Trapp most recently started for the U.S. in a friendly contest against Costa Rica (February 2) earlier this year. Trapp, who recently completed his sixth season with Crew SC, has made 159 regular-season appearances (155 starts) for the Black & Gold.
Gyasi Zardes has earned 42 caps with the U.S. Men’s National Team, scoring six goals. Zardes made his debut for the U.S. in a friendly against Chile on January 28, 2015, and he scored his first goal for the Stars and Stripes on June 5, 2015 against the Netherlands. The forward most recently featured for the U.S. earlier this year as a starter against Costa Rica (February 2). Last season, Zardes led Crew SC in goals by recording a career-high 19 tallies in regular-season action, more than any other American player in MLS. In addition to setting a new career-high in goals, Zardes also became the first player in Club history to be named Major League Soccer’s Comeback Player of the Year.
Crew SC’s current roster features seven players that have received a senior National Team call-up while with the club: Harrison Afful, Waylon Francis, Jonathan Mensah, Justin Meram, Zack Steffen, Wil Trapp and Gyasi Zardes.
Up next for the Crew is a home contest against FC Dallas at MAPFRE Stadium on Saturday, March 16 [2:00 p.m. ET / FOX Sports Ohio, FOX Sports GO (Stream) / 97.1 The Fan & http://www.971thefan.com (English); ColumbusCrewSC.com(Spanish)].
