Tuesday, June 11, 2013
U.S. to host Panama on temporary field
The United States will host Panama on a temporary grass field Tuesday in its World Cup qualifier at Seattle.
The United States improved to seven points in the 10-game final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region after winning 2-1 at Jamaica last Friday. The U.S. trails Costa Rica on goal difference and is ahead of Mexico on goals scored.
In order to bring a World Cup qualifier to America's Pacific Northwest -- where the weather makes artificial surface almost required -- putting down a temporary grass surface was a condition.
Seattle obliged, but the surface was far from ideal.
"When you talk about playing home games in World Cup qualifying, especially for us, you'd like to be playing on a field where it's cut real short and you're able to get some water on the field before the game and that creates just a fast, wet surface that is conducive to how we want to play," U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley said Monday. "Look, clearly there are a lot of things that go into making these decisions. Seattle certainly deserves a game, but I think the field unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired."
The United States improved to seven points in the 10-game final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region after winning 2-1 at Jamaica last Friday. The U.S. trails Costa Rica on goal difference and is ahead of Mexico on goals scored.
In order to bring a World Cup qualifier to America's Pacific Northwest -- where the weather makes artificial surface almost required -- putting down a temporary grass surface was a condition.
Seattle obliged, but the surface was far from ideal.
"When you talk about playing home games in World Cup qualifying, especially for us, you'd like to be playing on a field where it's cut real short and you're able to get some water on the field before the game and that creates just a fast, wet surface that is conducive to how we want to play," U.S. midfielder Michael Bradley said Monday. "Look, clearly there are a lot of things that go into making these decisions. Seattle certainly deserves a game, but I think the field unfortunately leaves a lot to be desired."
