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Report: Salt Lake to Host U.S. - Mexico Qualifier
According to Mexico's ESTO, Salt Lake's new stadium, Rio Tinto, will serve as host for the highly-anticipated U.S. - Mexico qualifying kickoff match on February 11.
Dec 15, 2008 1:48:43 PM
Reports out of Mexico seem to confirm what many rumors had already
foreshadowed: The U.S. National Team is trading the friendly confines
of Crew Stadium in Ohio for a new venue versus their regional rivals.
ESTO, an online and print publication, is claiming the match will be held
in Rio Tinto Stadium in Utah.
When contacted by Goal.com, a spokesperson for U.S. Soccer would neither confirm nor deny that Salt Lake was set to host the match.
The games against Mexico are often the most hotly contested in the entire CONCACAF qualifying campaign. While Mexico has for years hosted their matches in the altitude-amplified fortress of Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, the U.S. has lately countered with the chilly assist of Crew Stadium to cool down the Mexican attack.
The temperatures at Rio Tinto aren't expected to be welcoming to the southern neighbors of the U.S., either. The average for February is chilly, hovering right around freezing.
Rio Tinto is the newest soccer stadium in the States and the home of Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake.
Both U.S. coach Bob Bradley and Mexico's coach, Sven-Goran Ericksson, have indicated that the opening match of the final qualifying round is a crucial one for setting the tone.
Mexico has yet to beat the U.S. on American soil in the 21st century, having last won in the U.S. in 1999. Similarly, the Americans have yet to ever defeat Mexico in that country.
--Andrea Canales, Goal.com
When contacted by Goal.com, a spokesperson for U.S. Soccer would neither confirm nor deny that Salt Lake was set to host the match.
The games against Mexico are often the most hotly contested in the entire CONCACAF qualifying campaign. While Mexico has for years hosted their matches in the altitude-amplified fortress of Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, the U.S. has lately countered with the chilly assist of Crew Stadium to cool down the Mexican attack.
The temperatures at Rio Tinto aren't expected to be welcoming to the southern neighbors of the U.S., either. The average for February is chilly, hovering right around freezing.
Rio Tinto is the newest soccer stadium in the States and the home of Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake.
Both U.S. coach Bob Bradley and Mexico's coach, Sven-Goran Ericksson, have indicated that the opening match of the final qualifying round is a crucial one for setting the tone.
Mexico has yet to beat the U.S. on American soil in the 21st century, having last won in the U.S. in 1999. Similarly, the Americans have yet to ever defeat Mexico in that country.
--Andrea Canales, Goal.com
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