The United States will take on Guatemala Friday in one final friendly before the team starts it CONCACAF Gold Cup campaign.
Jurgen Klinsmann's side is very different from the club he has been utilizing for the CONCACAF World Cup qualifiers. The biggest change: the addition of Landon Donovan to the lineup. The forward will have the brightest spotlight on him throughout the tournament as he attempts to win back a spot on the A-Team for the upcoming qualifiers in the fall.
Donovan took a few months off from the game and has not played for the national team since last summer. He has made it clear that he intends to earn a chance to play in next year's World Cup finals in Brazil.
"This team always moves forward. And if you're not on the train, you've got to find a way to get back on," he said. "That's what I'm hoping to do."
"A lot of times people have relationships where on the surface everyone thinks everything is great but you don't say what you mean and what you feel," Donovan added about his relationship with Klinsmann. "And him and I have been honest since day one. We don't always necessarily agree on things, but we're very honest with each other and we know what the other is feeling."
"There's a lot at stake," Klinsmann said about what this string of matches means to Donovan. "He had his break. He had his reasons for it. And we are thrilled to have him back.
"But now it's all about your performance. The players know this is an opportunity for every one of them to make a strong case toward Brazil 2014."
Prediction: Look for Donavan to make a statement in his first game back. He will likely only score a goal, but look for him to be the catalyst of a 3-0 U.S. victory.
Start Time: 11 p.m. EST
TV: NBCSN
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