Clint Dempsey scored against Ghana in the 2014 World Cup. (Andy Mead/YCJ Photo)

CHICAGO — The United States national team will play a familiar World Cup foe in a familiar stadium to tune up for the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

The men’s team will play Ghana at Pratt & Whitney Stadium in East Hartford, Conn. Saturday, July 1 at 4:45 p.m. (ESPN, UniMas and UDN).

The Americans will face their biggest nemesis in World Cup competition, having played Ghana the last three editions of the tournament. Twice the African side has knocked the U.S. out of the World Cup – in 2006 and 2010 – while the Americans recorded a 2-1 win in their opening group game of the 2014 World Cup with goals from Clint Dempsey and John Brooks.

“Ghana is certainly a team that brings different challenges, and it’s the type of competition we need as we continue to develop our program,” U.S. head coach Bruce Arena said. “Winning the Gold Cup is one of our priorities in 2017, so this is an important opportunity. We’ve always had great support in Hartford, and look forward to more of the same this summer.”

The U.S. holds a 3-1-1 record in East Hartford as the stadium has hosted matches in World Cup qualifying and the Gold Cup. In the MNT’s last visit on Oct. 10, 2014 vs. Ecuador, U.S. Soccer said farewell to the national side’s all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan.

Tickets go on sale to the public Friday at 10 a.m. ET through ussoccer.com, by phone at 1-877-522-8499 (8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET only) and at the XL Center ticket office starting Monday, May 8 (open Monday-Friday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.). [Note: Tickets are not sold at Pratt & Whitney Stadium except on the day of the event.]

Groups of 20 or more can order at ussoccer.com.

The MNT holds a 3-1-1 record in East Hartford, the stadium having hosted matches in both World Cup qualifying and the Gold Cup. In the MNT’s last visit on Oct. 10, 2014 vs. Ecuador, U.S. Soccer said farewell to the USA’s all-time leading scorer Landon Donovan.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.