Football
ESPN staff 7y

U.S. Soccer to play World Cup qualifier in Colorado ahead of Mexico trip

The United States will prepare for a trip to Mexico by hosting its next World Cup qualifier in the Denver area, U.S. Soccer announced on Monday.

Bruce Arena's U.S. side will host Trinidad and Tobago at the Colorado Rapids' Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City on June 8.

The U.S. will train in Colorado for over a week to adapt to the high altitude, which should help when the squad travels to face Mexico, likely at the Esadio Azteca, three days later. The stadium in Colorado is 5,223 above sea level, while the Azteca sits even higher at 7,350 feet.

According to the the Washington Post, the U.S. will also play a friendly at Real Salt Lake's Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, at an elevation of 4,449 feet, against an opponent to be announced before the qualifiers.

The U.S. has won four of its five games in the Denver area, with the only setback a 1992 friendly defeat to Scotland. Dick's Sporting Goods Park previously hosted World Cup qualifiers in 2008 and 2013 -- the latter an important win over Costa Rica in a snowstorm.

After a win over Honduras and draw at Panama last month, the Americans are in fourth place in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying, with the top three teams reaching the World Cup and the fourth advancing to an intercontinental playoff.

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