Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez, Gyasi Zardes called up to U.S. national team

The Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez and Gyasi Zardes were among 23 players called up by U.S. national team Coach Juergen Klinsmann on Sunday for upcoming friendlies with Peru and Brazil.

The Americans meet Peru, a surprising third-place finisher in this summer’s Copa America, on Friday in Washington, D.C., before taking on Brazil four days later in Foxborough, Mass. The two games are part of the U.S. team’s preparation for its Oct. 10 CONCACAF playoff with Mexico at the Rose Bowl.

“The bigger picture is to get some answers for how we put things together for the Mexico game a month from now,” Klinsmann said. “Obviously we want to continue to have a good flow of guys from the Gold Cup, but also to bring back guys who are in position to compete for a spot on the roster for Oct. 10.

“Our message to these guys is simple: prove a point that you want to be at the Rose Bowl.”

Among the call-ups were goalkeeper Tim Howard and defender Geoff Cameron, two World Cup veterans who are rejoining the national team for this first time in 2015. Howard’s last performance for the U.S. was in the elimination round in Brazil, where he made a World Cup-record 15 saves in an overtime loss to Belgium.

Defender Matt Besler and midfielder Jermaine Jones, meanwhile, could see action for the first time since February.

A dozen of the call-ups, including Gonzalez, were on the World Cup roster last summer while 15, including Zardes, played in July’s Gold Cup, where the U.S. finished fourth.

The roster (with club affiliate in parentheses):

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), William Yarbrough (Club Leon)

Defenders: Ventura Alvarado (Club America), Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City), John Brooks (Hertha Berlin), Geoff Cameron (Stoke City), Greg Garza (Atlas), Omar Gonzalez (Galaxy), Michael Orozco (Club Tijuana), Tim Ream (Fulham)

Midfielders: Alejandro Bedoya (Nantes), Joe Corona (Veracruz), Mix Diskerud (New York City FC), Jermaine Jones (New England Revolution), Alfredo Morales (FC Ingolstadt), Danny Williams (Reading), DeAndre Yedlin (Tottenham Hotspur)

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Toronto FC), Aron Johannsson (Werder Bremen), Bobby Wood (Union Berlin), Andrew Wooten (SV Sandhausen), Gyasi Zardes (Galaxy)