U.S. Falls to Czech Republic 4-2 in Opening Send Off Series Match

In a match that served as a final audition for some U.S. players and a World Cup tune-up for others, the U.S. Men’s National Team fell 4-2 to the Czech Republic in front of 36,218 fans, the largest-ever crowd to watch a soccer match at Rentschler Field.

Both U.S. goals came from players who had never before tallied at the full international level with midfielder Maurice Edu putting the USA ahead in the 17th minute while second-half substitute forward Herculez Gomez knotted the score at 2-2 in the 65th. The U.S. allowed two goals in the final 13 minutes plus stoppage time as Martin Fenin tallied in the 78th and Tomas Necid ended any chance of a late U.S. equalizer with a goal in the 92nd.

U.S. head coach Bob Bradley will announce the 23-man U.S. World Cup roster tomorrow, May 26, live on ESPN during SportsCenter’s 1 p.m. ET hour and then the U.S. team will head to Philadelphia, where the team will play its second and final Send-Off Series match against Turkey at Lincoln Financial Field.

“We've worked very hard and guys know we're at a point where tough decisions need to be made,” said Bradley. “There's still a respect we have for what they've put into the camp and into the game. As a player, to come into a camp with the opportunity to make a team and go to the World Cup is a special thing. As it gets closer and closer those emotions come out. On a night when the result doesn't go our way, we know there are things we will still work hard at and we pay tribute to the guys who have been in this camp, the work they've put in and the way they've gone about it.”