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Though U.S. Soccer officials will only admit to negotiations with the FMF over a possible Yanks vs. El Tri showdown, a number of news sources, including the Los Angeles Times and MLSSoccer.com, report that a date and place has been settled on.
If the reports are true, the teams will meet at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. on Wednesday, April 2. Since March 5 is the last FIFA international date before the World Cup -- and the USMNT is committed to a match against Ukraine in Kharkiv on that date -- this match will rely on the MLS and Liga MX players that make up the majority of the teams' rosters.
The match, of course, would be the first between the rivals since the U.S. clinched its World Cup berth in the Dos A Cero in Columbus last September, and will be a potentially crucial test for Toronto FC's Michael Bradley, who missed the last match vs. El Tri (and the last part of the 2013 CONCACAF campaign) with injury. Two of El Tri's biggest questions -- Javier Hernandez' potency in front of goal, Carlos Vela's willingness to play for Mexico -- won't be answered here due to those players' European club obligations, but it will be a good test of the remaking of the Mexican squad that stumbled into World Cup qualification.
