CHICAGO - The head coaches of the Mexican and Polish National Teams, Ricardo Lavolpe and Pawel Janas, respectively, announced their 18-man rosters for their international friendly, to be played as part of the 2005 Coca-Cola Presenta Futbol Mexicano de Verdad Tour, next Wednesday, Apr. 27 following the Fire's match against the New England Revolution at Soldier Field beginning at 6:00 p.m. CT.
Tickets to the doubleheader, which range in price from $30 to $75, can be purchased via Ticketmaster by calling 312-559-1212 or at www.ticketmaster.com. Groups of 20 or more, please call 1-888-MLS-FIRE. To view a seating chart detailing the location of Polish and Mexican supporters sections at Soldier Field, please visit www.Chicago-Fire.com. Cost for parking at Soldier Field on game day will be $25, not $18 as previously announced.
Following are rosters for both national teams; clubs are listed in parenthesis.
ROSTER - MEXICO
GOALKEEPERS: Oscar Perez (Cruz Azul), Moises Muñoz (Morelia).
DEFENDERS: Salvador Carmona (Cruz Azul), Gonzalo Pineda (Pumas), Rafael Medina (Chivas), Francisco Rodriguez (Chivas), Ricardo Osorio (Cruz Azul), Aaron Galindo (Cruz Azul), Carlos Salcido (Chivas).
MIDFIELDERS: Ramon Morales (Chivas), Luis Perez (Monterrey), Juan Pablo Rodriguez (Tecos), Miguel Angel Zepeda (Cruz Azul), Fernando Salazar (Pachuca).
FORWARDS: Francisco Fonseca (Cruz Azul), Alberto Medina (Chivas), Oribe Peralta (Monterrey), Omar Bravo (Chivas).
ROSTER - POLAND
GOALKEEPERS: Artur Boruc (Legia Warszawa), Marcin Cabaj (Cracovia).
DEFENDERS: Marcin Baszczynski (Wisla Krakow), Arkadiusz Glowacki (Wisla Krakow), Tomasz Klos (Wisla Krakow), Tomasz Kielbowicz (Legia Warszawa), Dariusz Dudka (Amica Wronki), Patryk Rachwal (Wisla Plock).
MIDFIELDERS: Radoslaw Sobolewski (Wisla Krakow), Piotr Giza (Cracovia), Konrad Golos (Polonia Warszawa), Przemyslaw Kazmierczak (Pogon Szczecin), Michal Golinski (Dyskobolia Groclin Grodzisk Wlkp), Marcin Burkhardt (Amica Wronki), Marcin Zajac (Dyskobolia-Groclin Grodzisk Wielkopolski).
FORWARDS: Bartosz Slusarski (Dyskobolia Groclin Grodzisk Wlkp), Ireneusz Jelen (Wisla Plock), Tomasz Frankowski (Wisla Krakow).
MEXICAN NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH RICARDO LAVOLPE ON WEDNESDAY'S GAME:
"We're looking forward to the game in Chicago. Poland will be our second European opponent in 2005 and this is especially important as we prepare for qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany."
POLISH NATIONAL TEAM HEAD COACH PAWEL JANAS:
"The Mexican Federation asked us if we would like to play the Mexican National Team. We did not have any games scheduled for April so we decided to play them. If we have to play in the United States, Chicago is the only right place. I hope that there will be as many Polish fans as Mexicans. I still remember the great atmosphere last year when we played the U.S. National Team at Soldier Field - it was something unbelievable. I hope that not only my players are better than the Mexican players, but that the Polish fans are louder and more supportive than the Mexican fans."
