Assistant coach Dave Sarachan to guide USMNT in final match of 2017
CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – U.S. Men’s National Team assistant coach Dave Sarachan and the remainder of the current technical staff will guide the MNT for the final match of 2017, a friendly against third-ranked Portugal on Nov. 14 in Leiria.
Kickoff at Estádio Dr. Magalhães Pessoa is set for 7:45 p.m. local time (2:45 p.m. ET), and the match will be broadcast live on FS1 and the Univision Networks.
Originally set to be played at Estádio Algarve in Faro, the host federation elected to move the match to Leiria, near the area that has been affected by wildfires that claimed the lives of 37 people earlier this year. All proceeds from the match, as well as Portugal’s friendly against Saudi Arabia on Nov. 10, will go to benefit those affected.
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The match will be the seventh time the U.S. faces the 2016 European champions. Dating back to 1978, the teams having split the all-time series 2-2-2, and this marks the USA’s first visit to Portugal since 1990.
The nations have met twice in the World Cup, with the United States famously collecting a 3-2 win in the opening group match that sparked its run to the quarterfinal of the 2002 tournament in Korea/Japan. Most recently, the teams split the spoils with at 2-2 draw in Manaus at Brazil 2014.
Led by 2016 FIFA World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal advanced to the 2018 FIFA World Cup by finishing atop Group B in UEFA qualifying. Ronaldo (15) and Andres Silva (9) accounted for 24 of the 32 goals scored by Portugal in the campaign, the fourth-highest team goals total in Europe.
