GUATEMALA CITY - Tim Howard remembers well the one and only time the U.S. men's national team walked out of the Estadio Nacional Mateo Flores with a win over Guatemala.
The year was 2008, and a Carlos Bocanegra goal, and some stout defending enabled the U.S. to claim a 1-0 victory that bore a closer resemblance to a street fight then a soccer game. Every other time, the U.S. has walked away with a draw, including a 1-1 encounter in 2012. The blueprint then is well established.
"This is a pretty tough atmosphere for us," said Howard prior to Thursday's practice session.