US to play friendly in Denmark in November

[EPJr]

U.S. Soccer announced today that the USMNT will travel to Denmark to play a friendly against the World Cup qualifiers on Wednesday, November 18.

This is great news. With World Cup 2010 looming next, it's a welcome sight to see the USMNT taking to the road to prepare for South Africa.

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/sports_soccerblog/2009/10/us-to-play-friendly-in-denmark-in-november.html

[AppAlum2003]

...And that is why Americans don't respect soccer. Who plays a game and calls it a "friendly"???? There should be nothing friendly about it. You disappoint me, soccer.

[EPJr]

Reports: USA to face Slovakia in Nov. 14 friendly

The U.S. national team has yet to announce a second November friendly to go along with its match against Denmark, but reports out of Europe, including ones out of Slovakia, suggest that the Americans will take on Slovakia on Nov. 14.

Slovakian national team head coach Vladimir Weiss is quoted confirming the USA friendly in Slovakia, but U.S. Soccer would not confirm the friendly as of Friday afternoon.

Slovakia qualified for the World Cup after topping a qualifying group that included Slovenia, Czech Republic and Poland. The Slovak squad features several top European players, including Napoli star Marek Hamsik, Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel and qualifying scoring leader and VFL Bochum midfielder Stanislav Sestak.

[EPJr]

We'll get to see Edgar Castillo play for the Nats in the November friendlies against Denmark and Slovakia according to Ives.

http://twitter.com/SoccerByIves/status/5352907429

[EPJr]

The U.S. team began training for the match Monday. After Saturday's game, the first between the U.S. and Slovakia, the Americans close their 2009 schedule on Nov. 18 against Denmark in Aarhus. U.S. coach Bob Bradley may make roster changes for that game.

The roster against Slovakia:

Goalkeepers:
Brad Guzan (Aston Villa, England), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton, England), Troy Perkins (Valerenga, Norway)

Defenders:
Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes, France), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover, Germany), Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City), Clarence Goodson (IK Start, Norway), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus), Chad Marshall (Columbus), Heath Pearce (Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham, England)

Midfielders:
Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach, Germany), Clint Dempsey (Fulham, England), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus, Denmark), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Dax McCarty (Dallas), Robbie Rogers (Columbus)

Forwards:
Jozy Altidore (Hull, England), Conor Casey (Colorado), Jeff Cunningham (Dallas, England), Eddie Johnson (Fulham).

[MSUDuo]

Most definitely an interesting group of players.

[EPJr]

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/blogs/goal/posts/slovakia.480.jpg

SLOVAKIA IS GOING TO RSA THANKS TO THIS GOAL AGAINST THEIR FORMER CONJOINED TWIN THE CZECH REPUBLIC

[EPJr]

SPRING FRIENDLIES ACCORDING TO THE BBC

http://www.footytube.com/channels/chan_thumbs/sml/4-northern-ireland-1584.gif
Northern Ireland is set to take on the USA in a friendly as England's Group C opponents build up for the World Cup finals in South Africa. The Americans have asked the Irish FA for the game, which would take place in March or May.

IFA president Raymond Kennedy said it has a number of offers for friendlies but the USA was the front-runner.

He added that the match would likely to be staged away from Windsor Park to make it "financially feasible." -BBC sport

[EPJr]

Reports: USA to face Honduras in January friendly

If you are wondering who the U.S. men's national team will be lining up for friendlies in 2010, it appears the first of those opponents has been lined up, while another potential opponent has surfaced.

According to reports out of Honduras, the U.S. men's national team will face fellow World Cup participant Honduras on Sunday, January 24 at Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

The meeting would be the first for the sides since the Americans posted a 3-2 victory in San Pedro Sula on Oct. 10 to clinch their World Cup place. That win by the Americans was their fourth of 2009 in four meetings between the teams this year.

[EPJr]

U.S. finalizing February friendly vs. Mexico

Whether it's for the money or to assist preparations for the 2010 World Cup, U.S. Soccer is negotiating to play a friendly against Mexico in February.

According to a source, several cities -- at least one of which has hosted a U.S.-Mexico friendly in the past -- are in the running to stage the game. It would be the second game on the national team's calendar this year, following a Jan. 24 game against Honduras at Home Depot Center that has been reported in the Honduran press but not confirmed by U.S. Soccer.


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/12/09/us.mexico/index.html#ixzz0ZJbufOLm

[89Hen]

How important are these friendlies? Seems like the two teams rarely match as far as number of A players on each roster.

[EPJr]

The United States will play the third-ranked Netherlands in a World Cup warm-up at Amsterdam on March 3, and both teams figure to be at relatively full strength.

The game will be played on the only day before May that FIFA requires clubs to release players to national teams.


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/soccer/12/16/us.netherlands.ap/index.html#ixzz0ZuNo7KQE

[EPJr]

El Salvador has accepted an invitation to play the U.S. in a friendly in the U.S. on Feb. 24, according to Salvadoran media reports quoting federation president Reynaldo Vasquez. U.S. Soccer, which has yet confirm the game, had hoped to play Mexico on that date.

A proposed friendly against fellow World Cup 2010 qualifier Mexico on that Feb. 24 in the Rose Bowl fell through because of a television rights battle between Univision and Telemundo, according to Mexican newspaper Esto.

Univision has the rights to U.S. national team games and Telemundo has the rights to Mexican national team games.


Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/soccer/01/11/us.salvador/index.html#ixzz0cRrEiIvL