The US Men’s Team will take on 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts South Africa on Saturday at Ellis Park in Johannesburg. Kickoff for the Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup is set for 4 p.m. local time (8 a.m. CT), and the match will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel and Galavision. Fans can also follow the match live via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker.
It’s the last game of 2007 for the Men’s team and will also help them gain some experience in South Africa prior to the 2010 World Cup. The elevation in Johannesburg is 5,751 feet above sea level, which puts it 471 feet above the “Mile High” city of Denver. The players and coaching staff first started noticing the effects in warm-ups Tuesday, and will continue to acclimatize throughout the week. The weather may also be a factor, with temperatures in the afternoon reaching the mid-80’s. With a 4 p.m. local time kickoff, the players may be working against a couple of other factors besides the Bafana Bafana.
The roster is primarily European-based although there are five MLS players on the roster. Josmer Altidore of the New York Red Bulls will earn his first cap with the senior squad, following his excellent showing at the U20 World Cup in July and his play this year for Bruce Arena in NYC.
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