USA-Brazil to meet next month

An even bigger treat is in store for U.S. fans: USA-Brazil at Chicago's Soldier Field.  The game, to be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Univision, will pit the 2007 CONCACAF champion against the 2007 South American champion. Both teams are repeat champions. The game will also mark the first trip by five-time world champion Brazil to Chicago.

The Mexico-USA match was canceled due to contractual and financial considerations. Mexico and Brazil will meet Sept. 12 in Foxboro, Mass.

Since the games are during a double fixture week on the FIFA calendar, both the USA and Brazil should field their first-choice players.

The USA is 1-11-0 against Brazil in a series dating back to 1930. The lone win came on Feb. 10, 1998, in Los Angeles, where's Preki's second-half goal and some tremendous goalkeeping by Kasey Keller gave the USA a 1-0 win over Brazil in the semifinals of the Gold Cup.

The teams last met at Miami's Orange Bowl in the semifinals of the 2003 Gold Cup. The USA led on a goal by Carlos Bocanegra until a last-minute goal by AC Milan midfielder Kaka sent the game to overtime, where Diego won it for Brazil (represented by its U-23 team) with a golden goal.

"It is a very exciting opportunity for our players to get to play perhaps the most storied team in the world," said U.S. head coach Bob Bradley. "We have developed a tremendous schedule for 2007, and adding Brazil is another important piece of the puzzle as we continue to build our team towards World Cup qualifying next year. I have told our players many times that these are special games, and we need to take advantage of the opportunity. We are very much looking forward to the challenge."

USA SCHEDULE:
Aug. 22 in Gothenburg
Sweden-USA
Sept. 9 in Chicago
USA vs. Brazil
Oct. 14  in Barcelona
Catalonia-USA
Oct. 17 in Basel
Switzerland-USA