We’ve got a nice treat to wrap up the holiday weekend. The US Women are playing Canada on Monday at 6:00 pm in a friendly that will be broadcast live on Fox Soccer Channel. This match will be the first of a three-game summer series with Canada as the USA will also face its northern neighbor on July 19 in Rochester, N.Y and on July 22 in Charleston, S.C.
This match marks the return of Abby Wambach to the U.S. lineup for the first time since she suffered a broken leg against Brazil on July 16, 2008, in the USA’s final game before the Olympics. Wambach has 99 career goals and will be looking for her historic 100th career score in Toronto.
Meanwhile, Bob Bradley has named the 24 man roster that will begin training on Tuesday for a pair of upcoming World Cup 2010 Qualifying matches.
The U.S. will be seeking its first-ever victory away to Costa Rica when they meet at Estadio Saprissa in the fourth match of the 10-game final round of qualifying for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. Kickoff on June 3 is set for 9 p.m. CT, and the match will be broadcast live on the ESPN Networks.
Three days later, the city of Chicago will host its first World Cup qualifier when the U.S. welcomes Honduras to Soldier Field. More than 40,000 tickets have been sold for the USA’s third home match of the final round, where the U.S. will face the team who delivered them their last home loss in World Cup qualifying, a 3-2 defeat on Sept. 1, 2001, at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The match will be broadcast live at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN Classic and Galavision.
I’ll be reporting live from the game and am looking forward to visiting Chicago and taking in the game as you can imagine. If anyone else is planning on attending, let me know. I’ll be hanging out with a bunch of soccer friends and you’re welcome to join us.
The U.S. is in first place in the final round hexagonal with an undefeated 2-0-1 record. Costa Rica sits one point behind, while Honduras holds the third position. The top three teams will automatically qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
And for you ESPN junkies out there, hopefully you’ve seen or can catch later today the special feature on goalie Tim Howard. ESPN reporter Chris Connelly and a crew traveled to England to sit down with Howard in advance of England’s FA Cup final between Everton and Chelsea on May 30 at famed Wembley Stadium. Howard has been spectacular in goal for the Toffees, recording a club record 16 shutouts. After defeating his former club and newly crowned English Premier League champion Manchester United in the semifinal, Everton are within sight of their first trophy since 1995.
