About Damn Time! USSF Schedules a USMNT Match

I received an email today from the USSF for a presale for the first USMNT match of 2007. The US will play host to Denmark at HDC on January 20th, 2007. The game is set for 4pm EST. This has got to be the precursor to the USA vs. Mexico match that was rumored by the LA Times for February 7th in Glendale, Arizona.

This makes sense. Have the MLS based players all report to camp somewhere around the 10th of January, get a ton of conditioning in for 10 days and play a match against what should be a largely domestic based Demark squad at the Tool Box. Then continue with the conditioning and training until the 5th of February, when the squad should be joined by the Euro based players and they all meet up in Phoenix for the match with Mexico.

Most people will assume that both of these matches would have US squads that are made up of all MLS players. I disagree, especially if Klinsi is running things. Klinsmann will want to have the Euro based guys in for the matchup with Mexico and because their clubs must release the players 48 hours before the FIFA friendly date. Given that this would be his first chance to get those guys into camp, it would be logical that he brings them across the pond for this match.

I am excited for this. The match against Demark, assuming that they use only their domestic players against our domestic players, should be a good test and match for fitness for our MLS players. The Mexico match, with our Euro's, in Phoenix, should be one helluva great atmosphere.