USA boss Jurgen Klinmann will get his first look at his squad in 2014 against South Korea.
U.S.A. vs. South Korea
International Friendly
Saturday, February 1; 2 pm PT
StubHub Center; Carson, Calif.
ESPN2, WatchESPN, ESPN Deportes Radio and UniMas
The U.S. National Team had a record-setting year in 2013, winning 16 matches, the CONCACAF Gold Cup and finishing atop the Hex in qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The aim is to have an even bigger year in 2014 with the World Cup fast approaching in June and it all gets started on Saturday when America meets South Korea in a friendly at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif., for the first match of the year.
There, Jurgen Klinsmann’s crew will meet another World Cup-bound team, as South Korea is in Group H with Russia, Algeria and Belgium. However, the Korea Republic has already played two matches this week, topping Costa Rica 1-0 on January 25 and losing 4-0 to Mexico on Wednesday.
The match has potential to be a big one for Sounders FC’s Brad Evans and DeAndre Yedlin. Evans has established himself as the starting right back under Klinsmann, starting in nine of his 10 appearances last year while registering one goal and two assists.
Yedlin, meanwhile, is seeking his first cap for the U.S. National Team after catapulting onto the scene with a stellar year in 2013. In MLS play, he led Sounders FC with 30 starts while also earning MLS All-Star honors and finishing as a finalist for MLS Rookie of the Year. Internationally, he played all three matches in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Turkey.
Now, he has been training with the U.S. National Team all month and is hopeful of suiting up for Klinsmann against South Korea.
“Hopefully the first thing is to make the roster. If I can make the roster, I’d love to get some playing time. If it’s not, I’ll still try to take in the whole experience,” Yedlin said in an interview with Jeff Bradley on MLSsoccer.com. “No matter if I play or not, being a part of this U.S. camp has been good for me.”
Yedlin is one of four players in U.S. camp that has yet to appear for the National Team and is the second youngest player in camp after Real Salt Lake midfielder Luis Gil.
Teammates in Seattle, Evans has been working closely with Yedlin at various points throughout the camp even while the youngster is vying for his starting role.
Kickoff is scheduled for 2 pm PT with television coverage on ESPN2. After the match, Evans and Yedlin will have some time off before joining the Sounders for training camp in Tucson, Ariz., next week.
