USA-Italy Primer: A Starting XI of Factoids

Last week, US Soccer and the Italian Football Federation confirmed what had been rumored for a little while: the USMNT will take on Italy in a friendly on February 29th. The match will take place at Stadio Luigi Ferraris in Genova (Genoa, for the non-italophones).

With that news, I decided that I'd dig up some factoids surrounding the match. I went with 11 in total- a number with obvious soccer relevance- and if it's a hit, I might consider doing this prior to other USMNT matches.

So read up, and impress your friends when game day rolls around next month:

1. The USMNT has never beaten Italy: The two teams first met back at the 1934 World Cup and have played eight matches in total, but the US is still searching for its first victory after losing five times and drawing three times. The Yanks have run into the Azzurri at the World Cup, Summer Olympics (1934), Confederations Cup, and even the old US Cup, not to mention in friendlies. In those matches, the US has a goal differential of -11.

The US has played two friendlies against Italy, but was shut out in both matches.

2. The USMNT has played more World Cup matches against Italy than it has against any other national team: Of the 29 World Cup matches in USMNT history, three have been against Italy. No other opponent has played the US more than twice on the big stage (with England, Germany, and Ghana being the only teams to have even done it two times).

3. Neither the USMNT nor Italy have ever played on Leap Day: The friendly will mark the first time that either side has played a match on February 29th.

4. The USMNT has never played in Genova: The Yanks have played on Italian soil six times, but never in the port city of Genova on the Ligurian coast. Of those six matches, three took place in Rome, two took place in Firenze (Florence), and one took place in Catania.

5. No American has ever scored twice against Italy: In eight matches, the US has managed to score just four goals, with no player finding the back of the net more than once. If Landon Donovan (who scored against Italy from the penalty spot in the '09 Confederations Cup) is able to score a goal (assuming he's called up) or if another Yank is able to bag a brace, it will be a first.

6. Six USMNTers from the last USA-Italy friendly are still playing: The US and Italy last played in a friendly in 2002, a 1-0 loss for the US in Sicily. Of those in Bruce Arena's match day squad, six are still active: Landon Donovan, Josh Wolff, Brad Friedel, Pablo Mastroeni, Frankie Hejduk, and Jovan Kirovski. Unsurprisingly, Donovan is the only one of the bunch that is under 30 years old.

The lone goalscorer on that day? Alessandro Del Piero, who is still in the rotation with Juventus at 37 years old:



7. Of the matches the USMNT has played in Italy, half have come against teams other than Italy: As I mentioned earlier, the Yanks have played in Italy six times. Included in that is a friendly (2002), World Cup group stage match (1990), and World Cup knockout match (1934) against the Azzurri, as well as World Cup group stage matches against Austria and Czechoslovakia (1990) and a World Cup qualifier against Mexico (1934).

Speaking of Mexico...

8. The first USMNT v. Mexico match took place in Italy: Yes, the rivalry traces its origins to Rome, where the two played each other for the first time in a qualifier for the 1934 World Cup. Thanks to a 4-2 win, the US qualified for the World Cup and got the early upper hand in a rivalry that has become one of the best in all of soccer. It was short-lived, though: it wasn't until 1980 that the US beat Mexico again, losing 21 of 24 meetings in between.

9. Klinsmann returns to Genova: Jurgen Klinsmann's illustrious playing career included a brief stop at Stadio Luigi Ferraris, where he played for Sampdoria for half a season in 1997.

10. Since their last meeting with Italy, the USMNT is unbeaten in competitive matches against UEFA opponents: After losing 3-1 to Marcello Lippi and company in South Africa, the Yanks have managed to beat Spain and draw England and Slovenia. Okay, so it's only a three match unbeaten run, but when you consider the caliber of opponents and the stages that those matches were played on, it's nothing to scoff at.

11. Since debuting for Chievo Verona on September 18th, Michael Bradley has not missed a single minute of Serie A play: Bradley featured as a 71st minute substitute in his debut against Parma, and since then has made 16 consecutive 90-minute appearances with the Flying Donkeys in league play. He has never been taken off the field by his manager. It's just another indication of the kind of solid performance that has been earning Bradley praise and respect in Italy.

In that time, Bradley has helped Chievo rise to the top half of the Serie A table, with big results including wins over Napoli, Genoa, and Fiorentina, and draws against title contenders Juventus and Lazio.

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Well, that's enough for now. Read up to impress your friends or simply to prime yourself for another high profile USMNT friendly as the first FIFA match day of 2012 approaches.