U.S. seeks payback against Mexico in Philadelphia friendly

Coach Bob Bradley won't be thinking about revenge when he brings the U.S. men's national soccer team to Philadelphia next month, but it certainly will be one of the central story lines

The U.S. team will meet Mexico in a friendly at 9 p.m. Aug. 10 at Lincoln Financial Field. Tickets for the game go on sale Friday.

This will be the first game for the United States since it fell to Mexico, 4-2, in the Gold Cup final June 25 at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. That game, played before a crowd of 93,420, saw the United States jump to a 2-0 lead before Mexico stormed back.

"I wouldn't go crazy with the revenge factor," Bradley said in a phone interview Thursday. "The simple fact is that any time we play Mexico, it's a big deal."

The Gold Cup final had just about everything Bradley was looking for, with the exception of the result.

"Obviously the Gold Cup final didn't end the way we wanted, but I think the people who saw the match realized it was a tremendous game," Bradley said. "Mexico is an excellent team, and it was an exciting game for the fans of Mexico and the U.S."

Bradley said Philadelphia has been a good venue for the U.S. team, which last played here on May 29, 2010, in a friendly against Turkey. The Americans won, 2-1, before 55,407 at the Linc. It was the last game in the states before the team traveled to Africa for the World Cup. (The United States also played more recently in the area - Oct. 12 - when it met Colombia during a friendly that ended in a scoreless draw at PPL Park in Chester.)

"We're always excited to play in Philadelphia and have had some great experiences in recent years," Bradley said. "The fans there have always supported the national team, and with the way things are going with the Union, soccer is big in Philadelphia, and it's great for us to be part of it."

With the 2014 World Cup still far down the road, Bradley said, this is now a time of transition, but it's important to evaluate personnel.

"Some of the guys who played big roles in [the World Cup] in Africa will of course continue, but the idea of moving younger players to the team and having an eye on 2014 is something we're in the midst of," he said.

While Bradley is immersed in his own team, he is ecstatic over the success of the U.S. women's team, which will meet Japan in Sunday's World Cup final in Germany.

"It's awesome and great to see the way their team has come together," Bradley said. "Everybody is rooting for them and is excited, and I hope we can finish the job."