On November 11, the United States will restart its World Cup Qualifying campaign in Columbus against Mexico. This afternoon, the Americans will tune up with a visit to Cuba for a friendly.
It’s the first trip to Cuba for a friendly for the national team since July 1947, a 5-2 win for the Cubans in Havana. The U.S. won a World Cup qualifying match in Havana back in 2008.
How to watch: ESPN2, 4 p.m.
History lesson: That 1947 defeat is the only Cuban win in the series, with the U.S. holding a 9-1-1 mark. The United States won the last meeting, 6-0, in last year’s Gold Cup.
Politics in play: StarsandStripesfc.com raises some interesting points about this fixture. From substandard opposition to dodgy field conditions and potentially low attendance, it’s tough to find a lot of soccer-related reasons for this game. Check out this comment from Jozy Altidore, courtesy of U.S. Soccer/Wazee Digital.
The manager struck the same tone.
“I played for years and wherever I went, the door opened, and there was football,” Jurgen Klinsmann said. “The beautiful side of this game is that it’s a global game. You learn to take people as they are.”
What to watch: With MLS matches for Seattle and San Jose on Wednesday and Thursday of next week, respectively, there will likely be some roster changes for next week’s match with New Zealand.
But for today, Jozy Altidore and Bobby Wood figure to start up top. Christian Pulisic, Sacha Kljestan and Michael Bradley should draw starts in midfield while Fabian Johnson, John Brooks, Geoff Cameron and DeAndre Yedlin should make up the back four.
Ethan Horvath is the leading contender to start in goal, while Paul Arriola or Danny Williams are the candidates for a starting spot on the wing.
Analysis: On paper, this is a mismatch. The Americans should dominate possession and create chances in bunches against a roster that is, to put it kindly, underwhelming.
The larger concern may be the pitch. Estadio Pedro Marrero, which isn’t great under ideal conditions, had a bunch of rain dumped on it this week, thanks to Hurricane Matthew. We may not see a high-intensity match today if players are worried about the playing surface.
Most of the Cuban roster features players who play in their domestic league, which isn’t exactly known for its standard. Forward Maykel Reyes is the biggest name, and he plays for Cruz Azul’s reserve team in the Mexican third division.
Prediction: United States 4, Cuba 1
