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TIJUANA –Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente will once again be represented internationally. A pair of its young players will represent the club while playing for the United States Under-20 team during the Dallas Cup. Paul Arriola and Amando Moreno were called to coach Tab Ramos’ roster.
The youth tournament features teams from throughout the World competing in Dallas, Texas from April 13 through April 20. Arriola, who has represented the United States at every Youth National Team level from the Under-14 age group through the Under-18 age group, will attend his first event with the Under-20 team when he joins his teammates for their first Dallas Cup match Sunday (4:30 p.m. Pacific).
The United States is scheduled to open tournament play against the Under-19 side of Argentine club River Plate on Sunday at the Cotton Bowl. The team will then face Under-19 sides from German club Eintracht Frankfurt on Monday (2 p.m. at Richland College) and Mexican club UANL Tigres on Wednesday (time and location to be determined).
Arriola helped the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team win the CONCACAF Under-17 Championship in February of 2011 and qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup later that summer in Mexico, where the team advanced to the Round of 16 against Germany.
Arriola’s call-up to the Under-20s for the Dallas Cup is the 24th U.S. Youth National Team event he will have been involved in.
Moreno took part in both of the Under-20 U.S. Men’s National Team’s first two training camps of the current cycle that began last fall. Moreno came to Club Tijuana in February after his contract expired with Major League Soccer’s New York Red Bulls. Moreno hasn’t played for the Xoloitzcuintles this season. He signed on after the transfer window and was not eligible to play this season.
The signing makes Moreno just the latest MLS player to head to Liga MX in the offseason, following the transfers of Rafael Baca and Michael Farfan and the loan of Jose Villarreal to Cruz Azul, the protracted transfer of Camilo to Queretaro, and the loan of Gabriel Farfan to Chiapas FC.
In Major League Soccer, Moreno made his professional debut at age 17 coming on as a 90th-minute substitute in 2-1 loss at San Jose on March 10, 2013. He also came on in the 90th minute of a 0-0 tie vs. D.C. United on March 16 of last year.
For more information on the Dallas Cup visit www.dallascup.com.
