US to visit Bosnia in World Cup 2014 tuneup for both

The US national team poses for a photo before their Brazil 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Honduras

The United States will visit Sarajevo on August 14 to face Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first time in an international friendly that will serve as a World Cup 2014 qualifying tune-up for both teams.

US Soccer said the match would be the final start for the Americans before they resume qualifying for next year’s global football showdown in Brazil on September 6 in Costa Rica.

The US squad leads the six-team North American final-round qualifying table with 13 points off four triumphs and a draw in six matches with Costa Rica’s Ticos only two points back.

Only four days after that match, the Americans will play host to arch-rival Mexico in the fight for three automatic spots in Brazil. The fourth-place team will face New Zealand to determine another qualifier.

“As we head into the huge World Cup qualifiers in September, this is a great opportunity to get our players together and continue to build on the progress we have made,” US coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.

“We still have a lot of work to do and we want to constantly measure ourselves against the top teams in the world. Bosnia-Herzegovina are on an amazing run right now and the game will be a good challenge for us.”

The Bosnians are ranked 15th in the world thanks to an impressive World Cup qualifying performance, part of a nine-match unbeaten run.

The Dragons have not reached a major event since independence came in 1992 but they top Europe Group G after five games, three points clear of Greece after five wins and a draw in six matches. Qualifying resumes in September.

Before the US men return to the World Cup fight, they will battle for North American supremacy in the biennial Gold Cup tournament on home soil next month. They play host to Guatemala in a tune-up on July 5 before opening-round Gold Cup group matches against Belize, Cuba and Costa Rica.

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