Washington (AFP) – Trying to bounce back from a humbling CONCACAF Gold Cup finals loss to arch-rival Mexico, the United States will host Uruguay on September 10, the US Soccer Federation announced Thursday.
The friendly against La Celeste (the Sky Blue) at St. Louis comes four days after the Americans entertain Mexico, a 1-0 final winner earlier this month in the North American tournament, in a friendly rematch at East Rutherford, New Jersey.
Fifth-ranked Uruguay’s top lineup includes such stars as Luis Suarez of Barcelona and Edinson Cavani of Paris Saint-Germain, who have combined for 106 goals for the national squad, which reached the quarter-finals of last year’s World Cup before falling to eventual champion France.
“We look forward to this challenge against an excellent Uruguayan team,” US coach Gregg Berhalter said.
Berhalter is 8-3 with one drawn since taking over the US squad last December in the wake of a major federation shakeup after the Americans failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup.
The Americans have not faced La Celeste since a 2-1 friendly victory at Washington in 2002 in a World Cup tuneup ahead of a last-eight run in South Korea. The rivalry is level at 2-2-2.
