COMMERCE CITY — Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Tim Howard on Wednesday was named to the U.S. national team roster for World Cup qualifying matches against Honduras and Panama later this month.
Howard seemed like a long shot to make the roster four months ago when he suffered a fractured adductor longus in a World Cup qualifying match against Mexico. But after surgery and a 16-week rehab, Howard made his return to the Rapids on Saturday and looked like he hadn’t missed a beat, making seven saves in a 1-0 loss at the New York Red Bulls.
“The opportunity to play for my country hasn’t lost its luster,” Howard said this week. “In fact, it’s gained more significance.”
U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena told Fox Sports during his roster reveal that he would observe Howard in camp during the week leading up to the game and as long as he seemed fit, there was no reason he wouldn’t play against Honduras on March 24.
Howard said he was happy he still had his rhythm and timing in goal and felt good after his return to MLS play, but was taking things one game at a time.
“I feel good. I feel 38. That doesn’t change,” Howard said. “In terms of my body, I feel strong. After any game, I’m sore and I’m tired, but a couple days off and we’ll go again this week.”
The U.S. national team sits at the bottom of the CONCACAF hexagonal round standings after losing its first two matches. That led to the firing of coach Jurgen Klinsmann. The top three teams in the hexagonal round earn an automatic berth into the 2018 World Cup and the fourth-place team advances to a playoff against the fifth-place team from Asia.
“We need to get wins and we need to get them quickly. There’s no time to rest now. It’ll be a big game, it’ll be an intense week of build-up to that game,” Howard said. “If I get selected I’ll go out and try to do what I normally do. Backs against the wall time. We’ve got to come out fighting and scrapping and kind of be who we are.”
Rapids coach Pablo Mastroeni, the former U.S. international, said getting called into the national team is “the greatest honor” and for Howard, a tribute to the hard work he put into his rehab.
“It’s a reflection of the commitment that he still has and more importantly the effort he put in in the offseason to get back to full health and be available for this part of the season,” Mastroeni said. “It’s great for both club and country.”
The Rapids are set to take on Minnesota United FC on Saturday leading into the international break.
“Playing for my country is probably one of the greatest things that’s happened to me in my life,” Howard said. “I’m fortunate that I keep getting an opportunity. One game at a time for me. I need to obviously get through this week and this game and it’s a week by week thing.”
The roster:
Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Middlesbrough, England), Tim Howard (Colorado), Nick Rimando (Salt Lake)
Defenders (8): John Brooks (Hertha Berlin, Germany), DaMarcus Beasley (Houston), Geoff Cameron (Stoke, England), Omar Gonzalez (Pachuca, Mexico), Michael Orozco (Tijuana, Mexico), Tim Ream (Fulham, England), Jorge Villafana (Santos Laguna, Mexico), Walker Zimmerman (Dallas)
Midfielders: Kellyn Acosta (Dallas), Alejandro Bedoya (Philadelphia), Michael Bradley (Toronto), Jermaine Jones (LA), Fabian Johnson (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Sebastian Lletget (LA), Darlington Nagbe (Portland), Dax McCarty (Chicago), Christian Pulisic (Borussia Dortmund, Germany)
Forwards (4): Jozy Altidore (Toronto), Clint Dempsey (Seattle), Jordan Morris (Seattle), Bobby Wood (Hamburg, Germany)
