With the U.S. national team’s World Cup qualifier in Mexico two months away, two subtexts have surfaced: altitude and politics.
Coach Bruce Arena addressed both during a conference call with reporters on Thursday, outlining the approach to playing at 7,382 feet and playing down the impact of U.S.-Mexican relations and presidential policy on a soccer game.
First things first: Before facing their eternal nemesis June 11 at Azteca Stadium, the Americans will play Trinidad and Tobago three days earlier in suburban Denver.
A victory by the fourth-place United States against the bottom-dwelling Soca Warriors would ease the urgency of picking up points in Mexico, which is on track to become the first team in CONCACAF’s six-nation final round to secure one of the three automatic berths in Russia next year.