Soccer: Dunga calls in 22 players to Brazilian U23 squad for friendly

Dunga calls in 22 players to Brazilian U23 squad for friendly

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato, who scored 12 goals in 26 games for Internacional over the past two years, led a 22-man roster selected as part of a Brazilian under-23 squad for a friendly as manager Dunga begins the country's Olympic preparations.

The Brazilian U23s will face a Brazilian league select side in Rio de Janeiro on Dec. 9.

Pato played the last two years for the Porto Alegre-based Internacional before transferring to Milan during the European summer. Because he turned 18 on Sept. 2, he is not eligible to play for Milan until January.

He was the only European-based player selected, although others may be added. Dec. 9 is not recognized by FIFA as an official date for friendly games, and many clubs could refuse to release their players.

"It's up them to show their potential," Dunga said on the confederation's Web site. "It's the player who earns a berth and shows he has condition to be summoned again."

Dunga selected three players each from Cruzeiro and Atletico Paranaense, as well as two each from Internacional, Gremio and Coritiba.

Dunga said all the players are on a broad list of athletes with a chance to make the final cut for the Olympic squad.

"It will be a great opportunity to see them up close in training camp, the players that we've been observing for some time and are on the early list of players we'll call up," Dunga said.

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