Two nations looking to return to form will do battle today in an international friendly between the United States and Azerbaijan. The match scheduled for 10 p.m. ET will be held at Candlestick Park in San Francisco and be live streamed here free. Additional TV coverage can be found on UniMas and ESPN2.
For the U.S. men's national team, today's match will serve as beginning of a new era-one devoid of Landon Donovan's supremacy on the pitch. Head coach Jurgen Klinsmann sees the encounter with Azerbaijan as an opportunity to build after weeks of intense preparation.
"There's a purpose behind choosing Azerbaijan," head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said in his pre-game press conference (via Fox Sports) on Monday.
"It's a team that's not in the top category of opponents. We wanted to kind of not hit a top-10 team right away in the first match after a very strong preparation where we did a lot of physical work so the legs might be here and there a bit heavier," he added.
"It's important to start the send-off series with a win and build confidence and see where the guys are right now after that intense two weeks."
Will the U.S. men's national team be able to capture that confidence-building win in San Francisco? Tell us @SportsWN
Tactical Preview
Players to Watch: Jurgen Klinsmann has flirted with the possibility of featuring a 4-4-2 diamond at the 2014 World Cup, but the 4-2-3-1 should remain his ideal formation. The midfield pairing of Michael Bradley and Jermaine Jones is the key to the system's success. The duo will look to further solidify their rapport against Azerbaijan.
U.S. Men's National Team's Projected Lineup (4-2-3-1): Howard; Beasley, Besler, Gonzalez, Chandler; Bradley, Jones; Zusi, Dempsey, Johnson; Altidore
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