U-23s Open Against Cuba

Men's Team Kicks Off CONCACAF With Politically Charged Match

December 27, 2007

CHICAGO – The United States U-23 men's soccer team will kick off the CONCACAF U-23 Championship in a politically charged Group A matchup against Cuba.

The game will be played at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. on Tuesday March 11, CONCACAF announced this week.

The U.S., which plays in the late game in each of the three doubleheaders, will then face Panama on Thursday, March 13 at 8 p.m. ET and finish the round-robin tournament against Guatemala on Saturday, March 15 at 7 p.m. ET.

After group play, the top two teams will advance to the semifinals which will be played on March 20 at LP Field in Nashville, Tenn. LP Field will also be the location for the third-place game and championship match on Sunday, March 23.

The Americans will be led by Peter Nowak, who was named the team’s head coach on Aug. 8, 2007. Nowak has worked with both the Men’s National Team and the Under-23’s since December of 2006, assisting U.S. National Team head coach Bob Bradley. Nowak’s squad has just returned from a two-game tour in China, where the young U.S. side tied China 0-0 on Dec. 13 and then 3-3 vs. China again on Dec. 16.

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