Home Depot Center News

Traditional Match to Open the Year Will Culminate January Training Camp;
Past January Matches at The HDC Have Been Defined by Memorable Moments

CHICAGO (Nov. 15, 2010) - The U.S. Men's National Team will play their first match of 2011 when they face Chile on Saturday, Jan. 22, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. Kickoff for the match is set for 6 p.m. PT, and broadcast information will be announced in the near future. Fans can also follow the match live via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker.

\"We're excited to play a team of Chile's caliber to start the year,\" said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. \"We are focused on getting ready for the CONCACAF Gold Cup next summer, and this game provides a good start for our preparations as we assess the pool for 2011 and beyond.\"

Tickets starting at $18, plus special edition U.S. Soccer on-field seats for $150, go on sale to the public Friday, Nov. 19, at 10 a.m. PT through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-800-745-3000, and at all Ticketmaster ticket centers throughout Southern California (including many Walmart and La Curacao locations). Fans can also buy tickets at The Home Depot Center weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Groups of 20 or more can obtain an order form at ussoccer.com or call 312-528-1290. Ultimate Fan Tickets (special VIP packages which include a premium ticket, a custom made official U.S. national team jersey with name and number, VIP access to the field before and after the game, and other unique benefits), are also available exclusively through ussoccer.com.

As a sponsor of U.S. Soccer, Visa® is pleased to offer all Visa cardholders access to an advance ticket sale for this match before the sale to the general public. This advance sale will take place from Thursday, Nov. 18, at 10 a.m. PT until Friday, Nov. 19, at 8 a.m. PT at ussoccer.com. Visa will be the only payment method accepted through the Visa presale and is the preferred card of U.S. Soccer. Terms and conditions apply.

• Feb. 21, 1999: MNT 2, Chile 1 - Highlights >>
• Jan. 29, 2000: MNT 2, Chile 1 - Highlights >>

The U.S. Men's National Team has a nearly unblemished record at The Home Depot Center, compiling an 8-1-1 record since playing its first game in Carson in 2004. In fact, since opening with a 1-1 draw against Denmark on Jan. 18, 2004, the USA had won eight matches in a row, with 27 goals scored and only four surrendered until the 3-1 loss to Honduras this past January. Seven of the games at The HDC have been international friendlies, while two games (both in 2007) have been part of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. In the lone World Cup qualifier at The Home Depot Center, the USA posted an 8-0 victory against Barbados on June 15, 2008, tying the record for the most goals scored in a match and setting the record for the largest margin of victory in the history of the MNT.

A number of matches at The HDC in January have provided memorable moments over the years. In 2009, Sacha Kljestan tallied a hat trick for his first career goals in a 3-2 victory against Sweden, becoming the first to accomplish that feat since Aldo \"Buff\" Donelli in 1934. A year earlier, midfielder Landon Donovan solidified his place in the U.S. history books when he became the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. MNT with a finish from the penalty spot. In 2007, three years before starting in the 2010 FIFA World Cup, defender Jonathan Bornstein provided fans with a glimpse of his budding talent when he scored his first goal in his first national team appearance.

Chile finished second in Group H at the 2010 FIFA World Cup behind eventual champions Spain based on goal differential, having earned six points from two victories. The dynamic Chileans were bested by Brazil in the Round of 16. The team finished in second place in CONMEBOL qualifying for the World Cup, just one point behind Brazil and five points ahead of Argentina. Impressively, nearly half of their points in qualifying came from results on the road.

The U.S. and Chile have met eight times in their history, beginning with a 5-2 victory for Chile in the 1950 FIFA World Cup in Brazil. The U.S. has won the last three contests, including a 2-1 win in their opening match of the 1995 Copa America in which the United States finished fourth. With a victory in January, the U.S. would level the life-time series which now sits at 3-4-1 overall.