The United States has played plenty at home and they have played on the road too, at Italy, France and Belgium in the last year. They were as good of tests as the U.S. could get in friendlies, but they were just that -- friendlies. The opposing team wasn't all ratcheted up and neither was the U.S. Most importantly, the crowd and atmosphere wasn't anything close to what they will see in qualifiers.
Guatemala Vs. USA, 2014 World Cup Qualifying: The Road Is A Harrowing Place
On Tuesday, the Americans will get their first taste of road qualifying in three years when they play Guatemala. Several of their players have never played in a road qualifier and manager Jurgen Klinsmann has never been a part of a road CONCACAF qualifier as a player or manager.
That last part is important. It is a road qualifier in CONCACAF that matters. While playing away to France or England or even Poland can be tough, it doesn't match what it is like playing away to many of the countries in CONCACAF.
The crowds throughout Central America are hostile, packing stadiums beyond capacity and leave police without much recourse of things being thrown on the pitch. Players are woken up at all hours of the night by calls to the hotel room by opposing fans and fire alarms are pulled. The pitches are usually in terrible shape and referees have no interest in helping out the visitors. Heavy tackles are often unpunished and little knicks on the home team can result in red cards.
It is a completely different world away in CONCACAF. That, just as much as the opposing team, is what the U.S. is facing tonight.
Check out our Guatemala vs. USA StoryStream for all of your preview, live and post-match coverage. For more on this match and the entire world of soccer, follow @SBNationSoccer on Twitter.
See More:
