ASN: U.S. Soccer Seems to be North for First Two Video games of 2016

Jurgen Klinsmann’s males will open their 2016 marketing campaign towards Iceland on January 31, adopted by a pleasant towards Canada on February 5. Each matches shall be performed on the StubCenter in Carson. Calif.

BY

Brian Sciaretta

Posted
December 15, 2015
5:30 PM

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U.S. SOCCER TODAY ANNOUNCED that the lads’s nationwide staff will open its busy 2016 marketing campaign with a pair of friendlies towards Iceland and Canada on the StubHub Middle in Carson, Calif. The 2 video games will conclude the annual January camp, which opens in Carson on Jan. 4.

The Jan. 31 sport towards Iceland will give the U.S. staff an fascinating alternative to tackle one of many world’s most shocking nationwide groups. With a inhabitants of simply round 330,000, it nonetheless certified for the European Championships after coming in second in Group A, forward of the World Cup semifinalist Netherlands.

The USA and Iceland haven’t performed one another in additional than 20 years, however that’s to not say they haven’t clashed: In 2013, Aron Johannsson famously drew the ire of Icelandic Federation President Geir Thorsteinsson when he elected to go away Iceland’s program and change to america.

“Iceland is without doubt one of the up-and-coming soccer nations in Europe,” U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in a statement. “They’ve been actually spectacular in qualifying for the European Championship for the primary time and so they have earned enormous compliments for his or her youth participant improvement. Their gamers at the moment are unfold throughout the massive leagues in Europe.”

It’s unclear, nonetheless, which gamers shall be out there for Iceland subsequent month given the truth that the sport is exterior any FIFA worldwide home windows.

After that match, the Individuals will stay in California and face northern neighbor Canada on Feb. 5. The longtime rivals have met 32 occasions since 1925, with the U.S. unbeaten within the matchup for the previous 35 years.

“As we know from our past meetings, Canada is a difficult opponent and [one] that is not easy to break down,” Klinsmann stated. “It is a good expertise to play towards them, significantly for a few of our youthful gamers. They began off on the fitting foot in World Cup qualifying, having gained at house and selecting up a degree on the street in El Salvador, so this shall be an excellent problem.”

This 12 months’s January camp seems to be extra essential than in years previous, contemplating each the U.S. program’s struggles in 2015 and in addition what lies forward, with the Copa America Centenario slated for this coming summer time.

ASN has been instructed that this 12 months’s January camp will characteristic round 27 gamers and can embody a number of high U-23 gamers. There shall be no January U-23 camp consequently.

U-23 gamers more likely to be within the combine embody Stanford College ahead Jordan Morris, New York Crimson Bulls defender Matt Miazga, Columbus Crew midfielder Wil Trapp, and Molde goalkeeper Ethan Horvath.