U. S. vs. Poland at Chicago`s Soldier Field.

Soldier “These fixture dates are a fantastic opportunity to have the group together for an extended period and then put the work to the test with a difficult match”, said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. “We know this is an important opportunity for Poland as they prepare for the 2012 European Championship, so we expect a challenging game. Chicago has a fantastic tradition of supporting soccer and the U.S. national team, and with the large Polish community in the area it should make for an exciting atmosphere”.

Photo (author – Jacek Urbanczyk): The U.S. and Poland will meet at Soldier Field in Chicago on Oct. 9.

Against Poland, the United States has an all-time record of 7-7-2 in a series dating back to 1924. The teams have met seven times previously on U.S. soil, Poland holding a 4-2-1 advantage. Their most recent encounter in the United States came July 11, 2004, when Carlos Bocanegra equalized in the 88^th minute to lift the U.S. to a 1:1 draw in front of nearly 40,000 fans at Soldier Field. The teams last met on March 26, 2008 in Krakow, where goals from Bocanegra, Oguchi Onyewu and Eddie Lewis paced the U.S. to a comprehensive 3:0 victory.

Poland will host the European Championship along with Ukraine. Having qualified for the FIFA World Cup seven times, the Poles twice finished in third place in that tournament, in 1974 and 1982.

After an 11-year absence from Chicago, the U.S. will now be playing its sixth match at Soldier Field since 2004. Having hosted the semifinal and the sold-out of the 2007 Gold Cup in which 60,000 fans saw the United States defeat Mexico 2:1 to secure its second-consecutive Gold Cup title, the Windy City also welcomed nearly 48,000 fans in 2005 when the U.S suffered a 2:1 defeat at the hands of England. The U.S. has a 3-3-2 record in Chicago since 1992, which includes a win against No. 8-ranked Portugal and a draw with four-time World Cup Champion Iltaly.

Tickets

Tickets for the U.S. Men`s National Team`s friendly against Poland on October 9 in Chicago will go on sale to the general public beginning Saturday, August 28, 2010, at 10 a.m. CT.

Tickets starting at $ 25 go on sale through www.ussoccer.com , by phone at 1-800-745-3000 and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout Chicagoland (including Carson Pirie Scott and Walmart stores). Tickets are not sold at Soldier Field except on the day of the event. Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at www.ussoccer.com or call 1-312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages which include a premium ticket, a custom made official U.S. national team jersey with name and number, VIP acces to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits) are also available exclusively through www.ussoccer.com .

Jacek Urbanczyk – Chicago, IL.

[email protected]

Source: www.ussoccer.com