WASHINGTON, September 2, 2011—U.S. Soccer has added another international friendly to the U.S. men’s national team’s calendar, giving new coach Jurgen Klinsmann his fourth game since replacing Bob Bradley on July 20.
The Americans will host Honduras on Saturday, October 8, at Sun Life Stadium in Miami, Fla. It will be the U.S. team’s first game in South Florida since 2004. The 6 p.m. (ET) kickoff will be broadcast live on FOX Soccer and Univision.
The match falls on an international fixture date, which gives Klinsmann the opportunity to call in a full complement of players.
“Honduras is a team that we may see in World Cup qualifying, so this is a very good opportunity for our players,” said Klinsmann. “Honduras is a skillful team, and you could see their quality in the last World Cup. These are important experiences for our team as we prepare for next summer.”
Klinsmann tied his first game at the helm of the U.S. team: a 1-1 tie with Mexico. The Americans face Costa Rica tonight in Carson, Calif., and on Tuesday take on Belgium on the road.
The U.S. holds an 11-3-3 advantage in the series against Honduras dating back to 1965. The teams have played several memorable matches, including the USA’s stunning 3-2 victory on Oct. 10, 2009, in San Pedro Sula that sealed their place in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Four days later, the United States earned a dramatic 2-2 draw against Costa Rica that delivered Honduras a spot in South Africa.
Honduras has twice qualified for the World Cup, and remains one of the strongest teams in the region. The Catrachos were semifinalists in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, losing out to eventual champions Mexico.
The U.S. returns to South Florida for the first time since 2004 and makes their first appearance at Sun Life Stadium since Feb. 21, 1998, a 2-0 loss to Holland. Holding a 3-10-4 record in Miami, the USA’s last visit resulted in a 1-1 draw on March 13, 2004, against Haiti.
It remains to be seen whether D.C. United’s Andy Najar will be called up to play for Honduras. Najar, 18, has yet to play for his homeland.
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