Bob Bradley and the US National Team will bring a full squad of its European based stars when it faces European stalwart Sweden on Wednesday evening at Ullevi Stadium in Goteborg.
The main contingent of Americans arrived in Sweden on Sunday, August 19th, and with two training sessions under their belt, they'll look to improve upon a lackluster record in Europe for the national team. The last time the Americans played on European soil saw them exit the 2006 World Cup in Germany with a 2-1 loss to Ghana.
Although the Red, White and Blue have brought some young European based players on the trip, it's a team that could potentially include up to 13 players from the 2007 Gold Cup winning roster.
The roster includes Rangers midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, who scored three goals for the US at the regional championship, and Best XI midfielders Landon Donovan and Pablo Mastroeni - who both made the trek across the Atlantic from Major League Soccer.
Sal Zizzo, who recently signed with Hannover 96 following an exceptional performance in the U20 World Championships, is the only player looking for his first cap with the senior team, while fellow youngsters Benny Feilhaber, Charlie Davies and Kamani Hill have also join the experienced roster.
Feilhaber is just the seventh US player to reach ten caps in his first calendar year with the senior team.
The roster for Sweden head coach Lars Lagerbäck is using this match as preparation to continue their next phase of Euro 2008 qualifications. The Nordic country is currently sitting in first place of their group, ahead of Spain and Northern Ireland, with a 6-1 record.
Sweden will next face Denmark, who sit in fourth place, on September 8.
The Blågult's captain and West Ham United midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg will be left out of the gameday squad on home soil while he rests due to injury. The same could be said of regular starting keeper Andreas Isaksson and midfielder Tobias Linderoth, both won't play in the friendly Wednesday evening.
Prolific striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic will no doubt come out firing in hopes of adding to his 18 goals in 43 international appearances for the senior side, meanwhile the defense wil be anchored by Aston Villa's Olof Mellberg and the midfield will be run by Lyon's Kim Källström.
The last time these two teams met, it was the US who came out on top with a 1-0 victory in Orlando, Florida thanks to a Roy Wegerle finish in 1998.
This will be the third time US Soccer has played the Swedes on their own turf. In the US' first-ever international match in 1916 the Americans defeated their hosts, before revenge came nearly 80 years later as Sweden won an August 1995 battle in Norrkoping. |
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