Jurgen Klinsmann and the U.S. national team face a critical match against Guatemala at Mapfre Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. (Saul Martinez/Reuters)
It’s a massive day for U.S. soccer as the national team and under-23s play critical matches in Hunt-built MLS stadiums 1,000 miles apart.
In Columbus, Jurgen Klinsmann’s senior squad looks to rebound from a shock defeat at Guatemala with a rematch against Los Chapines at Mapfre Stadium. In Frisco, Tex., Andi Herzog’s junior team is in prime position to earn an Olympic berth in the second leg of a playoff against Colombia following a 1-1 draw in Barranquilla last week. (Away goals apply.)
The schedule:
USA vs. Guatemala, 7:25 p.m. ET kickoff on ESPN2, UniMas, Univision Deportes, Watch ESPN, ESPN3.com, univisiondeportes.com
USA vs. Colombia, 9:30 ET kickoff on ESPN2, Watch ESPN, ESPN3.com
Klinsmann is expected to make several lineup changes, in part because this is the second game in five days and because alterations are required following a 2-0 setback in Guatemala City. He had previously announced a goalkeeper rotation, which, if still applicable, means Brad Guzan will replace Tim Howard. I am also getting word D.C. United’s Steve Birnbaum will start in place of Tijuana’s Michael Orozco on the backline. Midfielder Alejandro Bedoya’s status is questionable because of a sore ankle. The official lineup will come out sometime after 6 p.m.
Ticket sales, as of Monday night, were around 17,500.
Game-time weather outlook: 45 degrees and clear.
Referee: Valdin Legister (Jamaica).
[Complete list of televised and streamed qualifiers and friendlies]
The U.S. Soccer Federation has awarded the final group match against Trinidad and Tobago to Jacksonville, Sept. 6 at EverBank Field. In the past four years, friendlies in the northeast Florida city have drawn 44,438 (Scotland) and 52,033 (Nigeria).
It also announced two pre-Copa America friendlies: Ecuador on May 25 at Toyota Stadium in Frisco and Bolivia on May 28 at Children’s Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kan. The latter falls the day after the league match between Sporting Kansas City and DCU. The Americans’ Copa group opener is June 3 against Colombia in Santa Clara, Calif.
The list of candidates for the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame was unveiled, highlighted by first-time candidate Brandi Chastain. Repeat candidates include Briana Scurry, Tiffeny Milbrett, Jaime Moreno and Steve Ralston. [Complete list and bios]
On a darker note, former U.S. youth international Bryan Arguez, a DCU first-round draft pick in 2007 who transferred to Hertha Berlin, goes on trial today in DeKalb County Superior Court in Decatur, Ga., just outside Atlanta. In 2013, while employed by the NASL’s Carolina RailHawks, he was charged with rape. (For those interested in searching for court documents, he is listed as “Arquez.”)
