SCOTLAND will take on the United States in a Hampden friendly on Friday, November 15, the Scottish Football Association have confirmed.
The fixture will be the last at the National Stadium before it is closed for redevelopment ahead of summer's Commonwealth Gamesin Glasgow. The match gives the home side a chance to avenge the 5-1 mauling handed to them by Jurgen Klinsmann's side in Jacksonville, Florida, last year.
Landon Donovan managed a hat-trick and Jermain Jones and Michael Bradley also scored; the only scant consolation for the Scots was an own goal by Geoff Cameron.
Former manager Craig Levein was in charge for that humiliating display but he has since been replaced by Gordon Strachan and the Hampden meeting will act as the former Celtic manager's latest chance to shape his side ahead of the UEFA Euro 2016 Qualifying campaign.
Scotland's hopes of qualifying for next year's World Cup in Brazil have already been extinguished following a series of poor results in the early part of the current qualification campaign but they have bounced back with recent victories over Croatia and Macedonia. Their opponents, meanwhile, have already booked their place in next summer's finals.
"I am looking forward to playing the USA at Hampden Park in November," Strachan said. "While it would be great to be preparing for the World Cup in Brazil, this match will give us another opportunity to maintain the momentum achieved with the results and performances against Croatia and Macedonia. I have been greatly encouraged by the improvement shown by the squad in recent months and by the unwavering support of our excellent fans. I am sure both the players and the Scotland supporters will look forward to the opportunity to finish the year positively."
The friendly will be the seventh time the two teams have met at full international level, with Scotland winning twice in 1952 and 1992, USA winning twice in 1996 and 2012, and the other two matches in 1998 and 2005 both ending in a draw. "The game against Scotland is crucial for us because we have so few games between now and when we name the roster for the FIFA World Cup," admitted Klinsmann. "It's a huge opportunity for the players, and we are excited to play against a team and in a venue that has so much tradition and history in football."
The SFA also hope to announce plans for an away friendly - scheduled for Tuesday, November 19 - in due course.
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