Sporting Park will once again host the US men's national team tonight in a World Cup qualifier. It's the third time in the three years the stadium's been open that the Yanks will play here. The US has a perfect record of 2-0 at Sporting Park, winning 1-0 over Guadeloupe in the 2011 Gold Cup and beating Guatemala 3-1 last year to confirm advancement to the Hex.
Combine the results at Sporting Park with the USA's results on the other side of the state line, and the USA is 4-0 in the KC metro area. The USA's first game in KC was actually in 1968, a 6-2 World Cup qualifying win over Bermuda. That game was hosted at the old Kansas City Municipal Stadium. The other game was the 2001 World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica that the US won 1-0 hosted at Arrowhead.
Tonight the USA host Jamaica in their final home qualifier ahead of the 2014 World Cup. The US already assured qualification in the last set of qualifiers. With very little chance of the US getting a seed at the World Cup, in theory there is not a lot to play for, for the US. But I don't expect the US to take this game easy, it's not been the mindset of Jurgen Klinsmann to sit back. I'd expect the US to come out and take the game to Jamaica and close out qualifying at home in style.
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