African Nations Cup

U.S. men's national team to host Ghana in July warm-up match for Gold Cup

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

Sports Illustrated, SI.com Staff/Sports Illustrated via Planet Futbol

The U.S. national team will prepare for the 2017 Gold Cup by facing one of its biggest World Cup foes in recent history.

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced on Monday that Ghana will travel to the U.S. for the friendly match on SaturdayJuly 1, to be played at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Connecticut. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN and Univision.

“Ghana is certainly a team that brings different challenges, and it’s the type of competition we need as we continue to develop our program," head coach Bruce Arena said in a statement.

The U.S. has faced Ghana in each of the last three FIFA World Cups. In 2006, The Black Stars prevented the U.S. from reaching the second round thanks to a 2–1 win in the final game of the group stage. In 2010 the teams met again in the Round of 16, with Ghana once again prevailing by a 2–1 scoreline and eliminating the U.S. in extra time. The Americans got a measure of revenge in 2014, securing a 2–1 win of its own in the teams' opening group stage games thanks to a late header from John Brooks.

The Gold Cup, CONCACAF's regional championship, gets started on July 7, with the United States' first game coming the next day against Panama at Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The U.S. completes its group stage slate with games against Martinique and Nicaragua.

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