Soccer: Davies left out of US World Cup squad

NEW YORK - Charlie Davies has failed in his attempt to make the United States' World Cup squad, seven months after nearly being killed in a car crash.

The forward has been sidelined since the Oct. 13 accident. He was omitted Tuesday from the 30-man U.S. preliminary list. Coach Bob Bradley has to select his final 23-player squad from these players.

The players will gather next week for training camp. The Americans leave for South Africa on May 30, and open their World Cup campaign against England on June 12.

The 23-year-old Davies was in his first season with Sochaux in France when he was hurt in a crash on the George Washington Parkway in Virginia that killed another passenger.

Two forwards came from off the radar to earn invitations to the camp in Princeton, New Jersey: Edson Buddle of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Herculez Gomez of Mexico's Puebla. Forward Eddie Johnson was picked after scoring three goals for Aris in the Greek playoffs.

Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, a veteran of the 2002 and 2006 World Cup squads, was selected despite not starting for Rangers since March 9.

Houston forward Brian Ching, sidelined since injuring a hamstring on April 1, also was picked.

Colorado forward Conor Casey, whose two goals at Honduras clinched a World Cup berth last October, was omitted, as was Aris' Freddy Adu.

The 28-year-old Buddle has made just one appearance for the national team, playing 11 minutes as a substitute in a friendly seven years ago. Gomez, 28, played twice for the national team for a total of 67 minutes three years ago in the Copa America.

Buddle leads Major League Soccer with nine goals and Gomez became the first American to lead the Mexican league in scoring, tying for top spot with 10 goals. Neither was even listed in the U.S. team's 2010 media guide at the start of the year.

United States of America's squad:

Goalkeepers: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton), Tim Howard (Everton).

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham).

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Orebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (AGF Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus), Jose Torres (Pachuca).

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles), Brian Ching (Houston), Robbie Findley (Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris).