<h3 style="text-align: justify"><strong><em>Newly crowned Gold Cup champions Mexico will battle the United States in Pasadena, California on October 9 for a place in the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup.</em></strong></h3> CONCACAF, football's governing body for North and Central America and the Caribbean, confirmed the fixture shortly after Mexico captured their seventh Gold Cup regional title with a 3-1 victory over Jamaica in Sunday's final. <p style="text-align: justify">The United States could have secured direct entry to the Confederations Cup -- a key precursor to the 2018 World Cup -- by retaining their Gold Cup crown.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">But they were stunned in the semi-finals by Jamaica before falling to Panama in the third-place match.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">The Americans will play friendlies in September against Brazil and Peru before taking on Mexico at the Rose Bowl in October.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"We look toward September to build things in order to be prepared for the playoff in October," USA coach Jurgen Klinsmann said.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">"The goal is always to go further in the next World Cup than we did in Brazil."</p> <p style="text-align: justify"><strong>By AFP</strong> . </p>