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Ghana, Chile to play friendly at PPL Park

Gyan (Reuters Pictures)

Philadelphia-area soccer fans are in for a treat at the end of the month.

Ghana and Chile will play an international friendly at PPL Park on Feb. 29, the Philadelphia Union announced on Friday. First kick is slated for 7 p.m.

The 29th, the same day as the U.S. men's national team friendly against Italy, is a FIFA fixture date, so all first-choice players should be made available. Rosters were not included in the announcement and no mention of the friendly is made yet on the websites of either the Ghanaian or Chilean federations.

Ghana is coming off its disappointment at the African Cup of Nations, when it was eliminated in the semifinals by eventual champion Zambia. The Black Stars are currently ranked 23rd in the world in the latest FIFA rankings, while Chile comes in at No. 12. Both made it to the group stage of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and feature world-class talents along the lines of Ghana's Michael Essien and Asamoah Gyan and Chile's Alexis Sanchez and Humberto Suazo.

Excited about the friendly? Planning to attend?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. isaf, there are many stable, safe and thriving countries on the African continent. You’ve just never heard of them because good news doesn’t sell.

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  2. Obviously, they cannot play on the same date, but a week after or a week before would work fine. Field the B team if it is necessary.

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  3. Not sure how we get shafted from hosting the World Cup. We had it in 1994. There’s been four since then and 3 more sites announced. As far as I know there’s around 200 countries in the world. United States isn’t entitled just because Americans are starting to like soccer. People in many countries save many years in advance to travel to the World Cup. Americans can decide the same year and still afford to go. So don’t feel too neglected.

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  4. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for the USSF to schedule friendlies against these teams since they are already here. Both are quality opponents.

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  5. I like that many teams are coming to play in the States as oppose to Englan, Spain etc. Shows we have good stadiums and soccer continues to grow here.

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  6. National teams from all over the world come to the US to play friendlies, and yet we continually get shafted out of hosting the World Cup.

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  7. good point. considering their country is 1 of the most stable and economic and democratic places in Africa, they should play more at home

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  8. how come we can’t schedule a friendly against Ghana or Nigeria or Cameroon on the East Coast? It would be a sell out especially Ghana. They knocked us out of 2 world cups. thats called a rivalry. why not grow it?

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