Colorado Awarded March US International

Dicks Sporting Goods Park, home of the Colorado Rapids, will host the USA v Costa Rica match in the Final Round (Hexagonal) of 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying on March 22, 2013.

Kickoff for the match, the second ever World Cup Qualifier there is set for 7 p.m. Cascadia Time.

“Everyone at the Rapids, Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, and Dick’s Sporting Goods Park is eager to welcome the U.S. Men’s National Team back to Colorado for such an important match,” said Rapids President Tim Hinchey in a club release.

“We’re thrilled that our fans will have the opportunity to attend this game, and similarly excited for the U.S. to play in front of such passionate and dedicated supporters.”

The match against Costa Rica just outside the “Mile High” city comes as part of a double-fixture date.

The Americans open the Final Round of 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifying on Feb. 6 against Honduras in San Pedro Sula.

Four days later, the U.S. travels to face regional rival Mexico in the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. This will be the first meeting between the teams since the USA’s historic 1-0 win in that stadium last summer.

“We are really excited to play our first home qualifying match at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park,” said U.S. head coach Jurgen Klinsmann. “Winning games at home in World Cup Qualifying is crucial, and we really are expecting the fans in Colorado to bring us a huge home-field advantage.”

This is the second World Cup Qualifier hosted at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. In 2008, the U.S. gave six players their first cap in qualifying while cruising to a 2-0 win against Guatemala to secure the top spot in its group in the Semifinal Round.

Along with Honduras, Costa Rica and Mexico, the U.S. is joined by Jamaica and Panama as the final six teams set to compete in the 10-game round-robin format from Feb. 6-Oct. 15. The top three teams in the Hexagonal automatically advance to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, while the fourth-place finisher will contest a two-game playoff against the winner of the Oceania region.

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