RailHawks To Host U.S. National Teams

Both the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams are scheduled to train at Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park prior to upcoming international games. The agreement was struck with the Carolina RailHawks, who are based at the Cary facility.

Coach Bob Bradley’s Men’s National Team will use the facility prior to pair of international friendlies against Argentina and Paraguay on March 26 and March 29, respectively.

The U.S. Women’s National Team will train there before a pair of games against Japan, the #5 ranked women’s team in the world rankings. The first of those two games will be played May 14 at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, OH, and the second will be played on May 18 at WakeMed Park.

The U.S. women have previously played four times in Cary, the most recent coming in 2008 in a 3-2 win over Australia on a dramatic 91st-minute goal by Carli Lloyd.

“Hosting the U.S. Men’s National Team and U.S. Women’s National team here in the Triangle within a two-month span shows the high regard U.S. Soccer has for the home of the RailHawks, WakeMed Soccer Park,” said RailHawks’ President Curt Johnson.

Bradley has called 24 players into training camp for the two upcoming games, and has selected a blend of veterans, 16 of whom were on the 2010 World Cup team, and several young players.

Among the youngsters are three Americans who were raised in Europe, including 20-year-old defender Timothy Chandler, who has been sensational for German club Nuremberg since joining its first team. Also getting their first callups are MSV Duisburg goalkeeper David Yelldell and Norwich City defender Zak Whitbread.