Published On: Thu, Oct 2nd, 2014

FAU Stadium Gets Ready For US Soccer Clash on October 14

FBL-WC-2014-MATCH14-GHA-USAThe United States Men’s National Team is returning to South Florida in less than 15 days.

Fresh off their 2014 FIFA World Cup run which captivated an entire Nation, the USMNT will host Honduras at FAU Stadium on Tuesday, October 14th, rounding out their schedule of October friendlies.

The match falls on a FIFA international date, which means head coach Jurgen Klinsmann has the opportunity of calling all the players whom survived the Group of Death at the 2014 FIFA World Cup, if he so chooses.

However, Klinsmann might decide to mix the roster with some young blood since the FAU match is already part of the new 2018 FIFA World Cup cycle.

Klinsmann will likely take this opportunity to look at young talent, as he did for the 22-men roster he called that will play the Czech Republic on September 3 in Prague, in which 15 of the 22 are age 24 or younger, 11 players with 10 caps or less, and six whom will work on making their debut for the National Team.

Time is ticking for Klinsmann, who will name his roster for this month’s friendlies sometime this weekend. Nevertheless, the friendly at FAU Stadium could potentially see the likes of Michael Bradley, Clint Dempsey, Omar Gonzalez, Matt Besler, Graham Zusi, 19-year old sensation Julian Green, and hometown hero Jozy Altidore.

One of the most interesting storylines will be the potential call-up of Miguel Ibarra, who plays for Minnesota United FC of the second-tier North American Soccer League.

Ibarra, a 5-foot-7, 24-year-old winger from Lancaster, Calif., would become the first lower-division player to earn a call-up to the USMNT since Clyde Simms, then of the Richmond Kickers, did so back in 2005.

On the other side of the coin, US Soccer legend, Landon Donovan will play four days prior in Connecticut versus Ecuador and it’s uncertain if he will make the trip south.

The last time the Men’s National Team was in South Florida was on October 8, 2011 when they faced Honduras at Sun Life Stadium in one of Jurgen Klinsmann’s first matches as the coach of the National Team.

In September, Honduras came in fifth place in the Copa Centroamericana, which means they have not qualified for the 2015 Gold Cup, in which the USMNT as defending Champions are already qualified.

With the snub, Honduras will look to make the October friendly a meaningful one as they prove they are still one of the elite CONCACAF teams.

The game will begin at 8pm on October 14 and it will also be televised nationally by ESPN.

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