Photo by Jerome Miron/USA TODAY Sports
By RYAN TOLMICH
Following the conclusion of this summer’s Gold Cup, the U.S. Men’s National Team will kick off their fall campaign against one of South America’s recent contenders.
U.S. Soccer announced on Wednesday that the USMNT will host Peru on September 4 at RFK Stadium, confirming a previous report in the Washington Post. In Peru, the U.S. will be facing a team fresh off a third place finish at the most recent Copa America tournament after falling in the semifinals to champions Chile.
The two sides have not met on the field since February 2000, with the U.S. emerging with a 1-0 win to push the team’s all-time record against Peru to 2-2-1.
In addition, the match will mark the USMNT’s return to RFK Stadium, a venue that has hosted the team 22 times, most of any venue. The U.S. defeated Germany, 4-3, in the team’s most recent appearance at the stadium in 2013.
Before taking on Peru, the U.S. will have to navigate the ongoing Gold Cup. After topping Honduras, 2-1, in Tuesday night’s opener, the U.S. returns to action Friday against Haiti.
What do you think of the announced friendly? What kind of squad would you expect Jurgen Klinsmann to bring?
Share your thoughts below.
I’d put the USA v Jamaica qualifier at RFK back in 98 as one of the all time best atmospheres for a soccer game ever held in the USA. World Cup games included!
Might as well had it in Yankee stadium…
Go ahead and check out our record at RFK. Its hallowed ground. We almost never lose there. For some reason its almost always a tough place to play for the opposition. We will miss the dominance we had there when its gone…DC United too.
So now where is the Brazil game going to be?
Of all the stadia in this country why would we ever play at RFK?
I think that if that dinasour was located anywhere in the US, it wouldn’t get a second look from the fed. But it happens to be located in our nation’s capital.
The fact that it’s in DC is about the only thing that it has going for it.
Location, location, location…
True but can’t they play at FedEx?
fedex is awful. have you been there? i went once, got a seat where i couldn’t see most of the field (although they helpfully had tvs showing the game), and i probably won’t go again.
also, i think it seats 90k. doubt they’d need near that many seats for a friendly against peru.
^What Nate Dogg said.
The last time I think that I went to see a game at FedEx it was the 99 WWC or something. I haven’t been back.
Personally, I’m also not a fan of the owner of the DC NFL franchise that owns the building or the team, so I chose not to give the dude any of my money in any way, shape or form if I can avoid it.
it’s a good stadium (that’s falling apart by the day) in a great location (easily accessible by public transit; lots of parking), only made better when it’s packed. not sure how many peruvian fans will show, but i can tell you that it’s pretty incredible when el salvador’s playing.
i’m a DMVer, born and raised in DC and i can tell you that whenever the US plays there it’s a nice crowd. As you noted Nate, whenever El Salvador is playing there its a massive contingent of their fans there because the area is full of el savadoreans but hispanics like coming to US games even if there are other spanish speaking teams playing the US!
As a DC resident (and United fan) for the past decade – no one hesitates to call this place a wreck. That said, the musty, smoke-filled halls on a hot DC summer night are almost a mysteriously charming setting for soccer. If anything, I think the conditions at RFK probably resemble the older stadia of Mexico and Central America. I love it because there’s almost a sense of permitted wildness. I can’t really explain it, but I think I’ll miss it when the team moves to the new stadium.
+1
i certainly won’t miss the sight of a quarter-full stadium on gameday, but my family and friends have been watching soccer at rfk for 20 years now, and it just feels like home. the new stadium better have bouncing stands, or i want my money back.
I remember going to see Dips games there when I was a kid..Good memories despite the team.
+1 I’ve been saying this to my wife for YEARS! I’ve broken WAY too many of those temporary pull out seats to count during my time with Screaming Eagles.
And in other news, respected soccer writer Ives Galarcep was found at the DFW airport missing half his skull holding his phone, showing that he was reading the official Peru friendly announcement. The coroner says the cause of death was “an acute case of having his mind blown”.
The Peruvian FA has said they will dedicate the friendly to the late Galarcep, wearing Cosmopolitan-colored arm bands in memoriam.
I think we know where Ives’ loyalties lie. Maybe the rest of the SBI crew will cover the game so that Ives can go and watch as a fan.