The journey to the 2010 FIFA World Cup resumes on Sept. 6 when the U.S. makes an historic trip to Cuba, their first in 61 years. Kickoff at Estadio Pedro Marrero is set for 8 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN Classic and Galavision. Fans can also follow the match live on ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker. The team traveled from Miami to Havana on Thursday afternoon to begin their unique journey, with more than 15 U.S. and international news organizations covering the event.

QUICK HITS

• Eighteen players are eligible to dress for both the U.S. and Cuba, and must wear 1-18 for jersey numbers.
• Clint Dempsey, Tim Howard and Oguchi Onyewu are the only U.S. players carrying a caution into this match. Any player accumulating two cautions in the semifinal round will be suspended for the next FIFA World Cup qualifier.
• For Cuba, Yusvanys Caballero, Jaime Colome, Reisandry Fernandez, Jeniel Marquez, and Dany Quintero are carrying cautions.
• Steve Cherundolo is suspended for this match after receiving two yellow cards in the USA’s 1-0 win against Guatemala on Aug. 20 in Guatemala City. Cherundolo was sent off in the 60th minute.
• The U.S. is making their second-ever visit to Cuba and the first since 1947, when the U.S. fell by a 5-2 scoreline in Havana.
• The teams have met twice in FIFA World Cup qualifying play, both matches coming during efforts to advance to the 1950 FIFA World Cup. Playing twice in Mexico City, the teams first drew 1-1 on Sept. 14, 1949, before the U.S. cruised to a 5-2 victory a week later.
• Overall, the U.S. holds a 5-1-1 lifetime record against Cuba, including three shutouts.
• The U.S. boasts a 9-2-6 all-time record against Caribbean nations during World Cup qualifying, having not lost on Caribbean soil since a 3-0 loss to Canada in Port au Prince, Haiti, in 1976.
• Four players on the current roster appeared in the last meeting against Cuba, a 4-1 win on July 7, 2005 in CONCACAF Gold Cup group play in Seattle: DaMarcus Beasley (1), Clint Dempsey (1), Landon Donovan (2), and Frankie Hejduk [starters in bold]. The victory sparked the USA’s run to the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup title.
• Frankie Hejduk has started in all four of the USA’s matches against Cuba since 1998, while Donovan has three appearances against the island nation. Along with the players above, Carlos Bocanegra, Danny Califf and Eddie Lewis also have stints against Cuba’s full team.
• Midfielders Maurice Edu and Sacha Kljestan appeared in the U.S. Under-23 MNT’s 1-1 draw against Cuba in the first match of group play in the 2008 CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying tournament.
• Three players on the roster have tallied goals against Cuba – Beasley, Dempsey and Donovan – all three scoring in the same game. Additionally, Donovan had a history-making performance against the Cubans in the 2003 edition of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. Overall, Donovan has scored six goals in the three matches he has played against Cuba.
• With his game-winning goal against Guatemala on Aug. 20, Carlos Bocanegra recorded his 10th career international goal for the United States and his second in FIFA World Cup qualifying.
• Tim Howard, who was named Sierra Mist Man of the Match in Guatemala, made an impressive seven saves in the win, good enough to earn his third clean sheet in four all-time FIFA World Cup qualifying appearances.
• Maurice Edu earned his first FIFA World Cup qualifying cap that day when he entered as a substitute to replace Pablo Mastroeni.
• The U.S. has posted a 5-2-2 record in 2008, which includes three straight victories in FIFA World Cup qualifying, a road win against Poland and a 0-0 draw against No. 1-ranked Argentina. Overall, the U.S. has scored 17 goals while surrendering only five.
• Michael Bradley leads the U.S. in 2008 in minutes played (647).
• Michael Orozco is the only uncapped player on the roster. The other 19 players have at least one qualifying cap to their credit. Orozco and defender Marvell Wynne are the only players on the roster who haven't appeared in a FIFA World Cup qualifying game.
• Donovan leads the team in FIFA World Cup qualifying caps (22), and is tied with Eddie Johnson for most goals in qualifying (8). Johnson has produced a remarkable strike rate, with eight goals in eight qualifying appearances. Johnson became the first player in U.S. history to score three goals as a substitute when he recorded a hat trick in the 6-0 semifinal round qualifying victory against Panama on Oct. 13, 2004, at RFK Stadium.
• Johnson and Donovan are tied for third on the USA’s all-time goalscoring list in FIFA World Cup qualifying. Brian McBride is the USA’s all-time leading goalscorer in FIFA World Cup Qualifying with 10 goals scored over three FIFA World Cup cycles (1998, 2002, 2006).
• Leagues from eight different countries are represented on the U.S. roster: Belgium, Denmark, England (4), France, Germany (3), Mexico, Scotland (2), and the United States (7).
• The U.S. collected a 12-2-4 record in the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, outscoring their opponents 35-11 while collecting 11 shutouts. The U.S. finished undefeated at home during the qualifying campaign, going 8-0-1, with all eight victories coming by shutout.

U.S. ROSTER BY POSITION
GOALKEEPERS (2): Brad Guzan (Aston Villa: 2/2 SO), Tim Howard (Everton FC: 4/3 SO)
DEFENDERS (8): Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes: 14/2), Danny Califf (FC Midtjylland: 2/0), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96: 16/0), Frankie Hejduk (Columbus Crew: 12/1), Oguchi Onyewu (Standard de Liege: 9/0), Michael Orozco (San Luis: 0/0), Heath Pearce (Hansa Rostock: 3/0), Marvell Wynne (Toronto FC: 0/0)
MIDFIELDERS (6): DaMarcus Beasley (Glasgow Rangers: 17/4), Michael Bradley (Borussia Moenchengladbach: 3/1), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo: 1/0), Maurice Edu (Glasgow Rangers: 2/0), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA: 1/0), Eddie Lewis (Los Angeles Galaxy: 20/3)
FORWARDS (4): Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo: 8/4), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy: 22/8), Clint Dempsey (Fulham FC: 9/2), Eddie Johnson (Cardiff City: 8/8)

*numbers indicate all-time World Cup Qualifying caps/goals

Press release courtesy of U.S. Soccer