COMMERCE CITY — The undercard is set for Major League Soccer’s All-Star Game this summer. Club America’s U-20 squad will play the MLS Homegrown team July 28 in the second annual Chipotle MLS Homegrown Game.
The match will start at 7 p.m. at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and will feature some of the top up-and-coming talent in North America. The MLS Homegrown roster will be selected from the roughly 150 players who have come up through club youth academies and signed pro contracts. It is expected to include two Rapids homegrown players: Shane O’Neill and Dillon Serna.
In last year’s inaugural match in Portland, Ore., the MLS Homegrowns took on the Timbers’ U-23 squad, made up primarily of U.S.-based collegians. The game ended in a scoreless draw.
“From a fan’s perspective and an outsider’s perspective, this provides more of an interesting backdrop to see how the young homegrown kids of the United States have developed in their academies versus one of the best academies in Mexico,” said Harry Shipp, a Chicago Fire homegrown who played in last year’s match.
Club America is one of the most storied and successful teams in Mexico. Based in Mexico City, Club America has won a dozen Liga MX titles and in April defeated the Montreal Impact in the CONCACAF Champions League final for a record-tying sixth title.
“Club America is a great club,” said Rapids forward Vicente Sanchez. “It’s a club that works well with its youth development teams.”
Sanchez played for Club America from 2010-12, scoring 11 goals in 49 appearances.
Club America’s U-20 squad finished top of the table with a 10-2-5 record and features some of Mexico’s top prospects, including leading goal scorer Ivan Pineda and fellow striker Alejandro Diaz — both of whom are on Mexico’s U-20 World Cup roster.
“Getting to play against Club America, it’s going to be a lot higher level,” said Serna, a Brighton native who started for the MLS Homegrowns in 2014. “Last year it was a little bit more laid back, but this year it will be a lot more competitive and we’ll be looking to get a result.”
Serna and O’Neill were both called in over the weekend to the U.S. U-23 squad for a tournament in Toulon, France, as it prepares for Olympic qualifying for the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro. O’Neill was named to the homegrown roster in 2014 but missed the match because of a knee injury.
Daniel Boniface: 303-954-1104, dboniface@denverpost.com or twitter.com/danielboniface
