MetroStars teammates every weekend during the Major League Soccer season, this Wednesday goalkeeper Jonny Walker and midfielder Amado Guevara could be on opposite sides of the ball when the USA faces Honduras in an international friendly at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
The match between the two CONCACAF rivals will serve as their final preparation before both begins qualifying toward FIFA World Cup Germany 2006. The match is set to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised live by Fox Sports World and HDNet and on tape delay by Telemundo (11:30 p.m. ET).
After both were integral parts in their club's 1-0 victory against the Kansas City Wizards on Sunday, both MetroStars players joined their national selections Monday for a match which go far in showing each country's form heading into the World Cup qualifying marathon. Walker was called upon as a replacement for England-based goalkeeper Brad Friedel, while Guevara was part of eight foreign-based players added to the Honduras team this week.
U.S. national team manager Bruce Arena has brought together a team of players mostly based in Europe, but still with a large number of MLS stars. San Jose Earthquakes schemer Landon Donovan and D.C. United's Earnie Stewart join a pair of Chicago Fire midfielders in DaMarcus Beasley and Chris Armas, while the defense features Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Cory Gibbs (Dallas Burn) and Bobby Convey (D.C. United).
The friendly will also mark the return of a number of players who have shone brightly in MLS before heading overseas in recent years, including Manchester United goalkeeper Tim Howard, Fulham FC (England) teammates Carlos Bocanegra and Brian McBride and Clint Mathis, who currently plies his trade for Hannover 96 in Germany.
Claudio Reyna is expected to make his 100th international appearance for the USA in the match, the seventh player to reach the century mark for the U.S. team. Should Stewart see action, he will win his 98th cap.
The meeting is the first between the two regional powers since March 2, 2002, when the USA rolled to a 4-0 victory in Seattle behind two goals from Mathis and two from Donovan. Before the meeting in advance of Korea/Japan 2002, the teams played twice in World Cup qualifying. Arena's side claimed a 2-1 victory in San Pedro Sula, before Honduras returned the favor with a 3-2 victory at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. The USA has a 4-3 advantage in the nine meetings in the lifetime series, with two draws.
The two teams begin their 2006 World Cup qualifying campaigns next weekend. On June 13, the USA will play host to Grenada at Columbus Crew Stadium in their home-and-home series, playing in St. George's the following weekend. Honduras faces Netherlands Antilles, with the first match set for the Stadion Ergilio Hato in Willemstad on June 12, the return match in San Pedro Sula a week later.
USA
GK: Brad Friedel (Blackburn Rovers/ENG), Tim Howard (Manchester United/ENG); Jonny Walker (MetroStars)
DF: Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham FC/ENG), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96/GER), Bobby Convey (D.C. United), Cory Gibbs (Dallas Burn), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado Rapids), Tony Sanneh (FC Nürnberg/GER), Greg Vanney (FC Bastia/FRA)
MD: Chris Armas (Chicago Fire), DaMarcus Beasley (Chicago Fire), Landon Donovan (San Jose Earthquakes), Eddie Lewis (Preston North End/ENG), Claudio Reyna (Manchester City/ENG), Earnie Stewart (D.C. United)
FW: Conor Casey (Karlsruhe/GER), Clint Mathis (Hannover 96/GER), Brian McBride (Fulham FC/ENG)
Manager: Bruce Arena
HONDURAS
GK: Victor Coello (CD Marathon), Donis Escober (CD Olimpia), Héctor Medina (Real CD España)
DF: Victor Bernardez (CD Motagua), Maynor Figueroa (CD Olimpia), Nery Medina (CD Motagua), Milton Palacios (CD Olimpia), Wilson Palacios (CD Olimpia), Roy Posas (CD Motagua); Junior Izaguirre (CD Motagua)
MD: Elkin Gonzalez (Real CD España), Elmer Marín (CD Olimpia), Emil Martínez (CD Marathón), Víctor Mena (CD Motagua), Mauricio Sabillón (CD Marathón), Amado Guevara (MetroStars/USA), Maynor Suazo (Wustenrot Salzburg/AUT)
FW: Wilmer Velásquez (CD Olimpia), Carlos Pavón (Monarcas Morelia/MEX), Milton Núñez (Necaxa/MEX), Julio César León (Fiorentina/ITA), Jerry Palacios (CD Olimpia)
DT: Bora Milutinovic
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
