I don't know how this huge news item eluded me for a few days but the U.S. men's national team will meet Italy on February 29 in Genoa, Italy in a friendly match.
That is the final date that national teams can have friendlies before they reconvene in May for the start of 2014 World Cup qualifying. What better way to get ready for the rigors of CONCACAF (dying laughing) than by playing the four-time World Cup champions, who are still one of the top teams on the planet as much as it pains me to say that.
Kickoff is set for 8:30 p.m. local time and 2:30 p.m. for those of us that live on the East Coast. It will be live on ESPN2 with both teams likely fielding stacked rosters.
“Obviously we are very excited to be playing a team of such high quality,” said Jurgen Klinsmann. “We are slowly trying to raise the bar for our team, and this is an awesome opportunity for the players to be challenged against one of the top teams in the world.”
The match in Genoa will be the third meeting on Italian soil between the teams and the first since 2002, when Italy snatched a 1-0 victory in Catania in a tune-up for the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The United States has never beaten the four-time World Cup champion, holding a 0-7-3 lifetime record.
The teams have played four times in major international tournaments, including the thrilling 1-1 draw in the second match of group play in the 2006 FIFA World Cup on June 17, 2006, in Kaiserslautern. One of the finest performances in team history, that match is as memorable for the massive support of U.S. fans as for holding off the Italians after being reduced to nine men. The most recent encounter came in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, when the Italians captured a 3-0 victory in group play against a U.S. team reduced to 10 men.
The ninth-ranked Italians have a storied history that includes four World Cup titles, the most recent from the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. They are preparing for the 2012 European Championship, having been drawn into a monster group that includes defending World Cup champion Spain, as well as Ireland and Croatia.
Going to Genoa will also be a homecoming of sorts for Klinsmann, who played in the Serie A from 1997-98 for Sampdoria.
At the moment, the U.S. men are training in Phoenix, AZ getting ready for two friendlies later this month. They will host Venezuela on Saturday, January 21 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ. That match will be available on ESPN3 (which is a fantastic site, I watch it all the time for college sports) and Galavision.
On January 25, the American men will travel to Panama City to face Panama in a game that will also be broadcast live on Galavision.
I look forward to all U.S. games but I have to say that seeing the Italy match on the horizon is much more appealing than either Venezuela or Panama. The U.S. men should beat those nothing teams, hopefully setting up a tasty game with one of the world's most hated squads in February.
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