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On this painfully frigid day in Philadelphia, local soccer fans have another reason to look forward to this summer. It was anounced Friday morning that PPL Park will host a major international friendly featuring two teams headed to the World Cup.

Greece and Nigeria will meet in Chester on Tuesday, June 3. The game is part of a series of World Cup tune-ups organized by Major League Soccer’s commercial arm, Soccer United Marketing.

It will be a rematch of a game from the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when Greece won 2-1.

The kickoff time and TV broadcast information (if there is any, and hopefully there is) have not been confirmed. We do know, though, that tickets will go on sale March 17 via Major League Soccer’s website.

SUM has assembled a series of seven games between May 29 and June 7 involving teams headed to the World Cup, plus a few others. Given the warm summer climate in the U.S. and our proximity to Brazil, it makes plenty of sense for MLS to capitalize on the opportunity to host some big teams.

The series intentionally does not involve the United States. That’s in part because the U.S. Soccer Federation is handling the Americans’ sendoff games, but also because the goal here was to bring other national teams to America for their World Cup preparations.

Word is, though, that Nigeria will play the United States while the Super Eagles are over here. That game is reportedly scheduled for Saturday, June 7 at EverBank Field in Jacksonville, Fla.

The U.S. is also expected to play Ecuador on Sunday, June 1 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.; and a team to be determined on Tuesday, May 27 at Stanford Stadium in Stanford, Calif.

Here is the full schedule of games in the SUM Road to Brazil series:

She leaves a legacy as one of Australia's greatest female footballers, but even Sally Shipard admits she's a "pretty complicated soul".

An Olympian at age 16, retired with an eating disorder at 21, a successful comeback to feature in two World Cups and a W-League championship, then retired again - this time for good - at 26.

Shipard relives the rollercoaster ride, telling her story from Washington DC, in the US, where she is on a "six-month sabbatical" supporting her partner and former Canberra United teammate, Lori Lindsey. Lindsey, 34, is playing with the Washington Spirit in the US Women's National Soccer League.

"She was the first teammate I have ever fallen for,'' Shipard said.

"I have this thing with my football where I want it to remain professional and I don't want to go over that line, but with Lori I had no choice.

"It was going against my moral fibre in a sense with that professional barrier, but in the team situation it was quite easy just to be us and have respect for the team and from the team. It was pretty smooth sailing."

Sally Shipard was dogged by injuries throughout her career.

Sally Shipard was dogged by injuries throughout her career.

The latter part of Shipard's career hasn't been so smooth.

She retires with 62 appearances for the national team, including two World Cups, being part of the first Australian team to win an Asian Cup in 2011 and the Julie Dolan Medal as the best player in the W-League in the 2011-12 season to lead Canberra United to its maiden championship.

But a degenerative knee injury which limited her to a handful of games in the past two seasons forced Shipard's decision.

Shipard began her Matildas career at just 16.

Shipard began her Matildas career at just 16. Photo: Vince Caligiuri

After a couple of aborted attempts, Shipard made her much-awaited comeback in a match with the Newcastle Jets in February.

She scored a rare goal within the opening 15 minutes.

"I was advised [to retire] by our national team doctor about a year-and-a-half ago based on the fact my knees were degenerative,'' Shipard said.

''I feel like my knees could probably handle a hugely modified program, but it's too much of a mental battle for me.

''Some people are capable of it, but I knew it was my time to step away.''

Shipard is the perfect case case study for the opportunities football can provide.

At 15, she moved from her home in Wagga Wagga to study at The Hill Sports High in Sydney.

One of her teachers was Alen Stajcic, the now interim coach of the Australian Matildas.

"I was walking down the stairs as he was walking up, and he stopped me in my stride, and says, 'you're going to the Olympics','' Shipard said.

"It was such a huge achievement, but one I probably didn't expect to happen so quickly.

"Beyond that it's been a bit of a rollercoaster.''

In 2011, she bravely went public with her battle with bulimia in the hope her story would inspire others to get help after fighting her inner demons during her career.

Her year away from the sport, when she was 21, provided her the time to figure out if football was the influence for her sexuality.

"It turns out it was the way I felt,'' she said.

"When I returned home I was able to share that with my family.

''My family are amazing with anything I've thrown at them in my life.''

Retiring wasn't a decision Shipard made lightly.

Messages from current Matildas players Clare Polkinghorne and Elise Kellond-Knight and memories of that amazing Asian Cup triumph make Shipard wish for one last hurrah.

But ultimately, she is satisfied she has squeezed everything possible out of her power-packed career.

Shipard wants to remain involved in football and is passionate about her Chasing Leather project, which aims to pass on the lessons she has learnt into everyday life.

"I would love to run Chasing Leather clinics in Canberra and head back down to Wagga and give back to the community that helped me grow and prosper,'' Shipard said.

"I'm really excited about this fear of not feeling passionate about something beyond football and not feeling that natural high.

"I  know I can achieve it through what I can see Chasing Leather becoming.''

Kei Kamara‘s story is one of the most interesting you’ll ever come across in global soccer.

Fleeing from war-torn Sierra Leone at the age of 16, Kamara built a new life for himself in California as a refugee and became a success in Major League Soccer, dazzling for Sporting Kansas City before being loaned out to Norwich City in 2013, then joining English Championship side Middlesbrough from MLS on a two-year contract last summer.

After switching the U.S. for England, Kamara can certainly be classed as a globetrotter. But he hasn’t forgotten about his homeland in Africa, as the 29-year-old striker continues to use his status to help raise money for charities which help young children struggling back in Sierra Leone.

Kamara is now a charity ambassador in his homeland and has teamed up with organization CAFOD to help tackle poverty back home.

“Charity work is great, being given a talent to be able to do something and then give back to what the kids is huge work for me,” Kamara told Sky Sports news in an interview. “It puts a smile on my face to see the kids sending me Facebook message and saying thank you for this, it is huge.”

Aside from the brutal reality of life growing up in Sierra Leone, Kamara discussed ‘Boro’s playoff hopes, as the Teeside club sit 11 points behind the playoff spots with Leeds United visiting this Saturday. The attacker has scored four times in 20 games this season, as the former PL team have struggled to find the back of the net of late. Can they still make a late charge for promotion?

“It is possible, we are not too far away from it but at the same time the teams below us are not too far away. It is a tough task for everyone,” Kamara said. “For us all we have to do is control what we can and get points in our hands.”

The man who so often showed off his heart-shaped hands will be hoping he can help write another chapter in his remarkable story by leading Middlesbrough back to the Premier League. This season may be too much to ask, but as Kamara knows more than most, anything in life is possible.

The arrival of Juan Mata has not brought the expected bounce to Manchester United as expected. We can’t lay all of this at Mata’s feet though; United have now got back, both Robin Van Persie and Wayne Rooney and still there is not much improvement.

Many have long believed that David Moyes was the wrong choice to replace Sir Alex Ferguson as manager. But then again, when a legend hand picks you as his successor, it is hard to say no. Moyes can be secure in the fact that he has the backing of Ferguson and as long as Sir Alex is sitting in the owner’s box, a new manager replacing Moyes is very unlikely at this point. So where does United go from here?

Moyes has money to spend but are there any quality players out there that are willing to come to a team that is in a transitional phase or dare we say; Rebuilding! United’s problems at midfield have been written about far and wide. Mata was brought in to fill the central midfielder role but Moyes continues to play him on the wing and drop Rooney back into that position. If United have one thing, it is an over abundance of wingers, so why is Mata playing out there?

If rumors are true, United are expected to be cleaning house this summer but will they be able to find the quality to replace those players that will be off loaded. It is not only house cleaning that is to take place but rumors are coming fast and furious that the before mentioned Van Persie and Javier Hernandez are looking to move away. But are they the only ones?

The back line is in shambles with no one person standing up and taking charge. Nemanja Vidic has already said he will be moving this summer and Rio Ferdinand is nothing more than a bit player at this point of his career. Patrice Evra has been rumored to also be on the move and Jonny Evans is not the world class player that a team like United can put in charge at the back. That leaves us with Phil Jones and Chris Smalling.

Just a couple years ago, Jones and Smalling were touted to be the replacements for Vidic and Ferdinand but Jones can’t stay healthy for more than a few fixtures at a time and Smalling has become a utility player filling in just about everywhere.

With teams like Chelsea, PSG, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, to name a few, having the money, prestige and “big name” managers; Does David Moyes have a chance to compete for the top talent? It is safe to say that Moyes will be given another season at the helm of United but if things don’t start to improve, even “the legend” might not be able to save him.

Liverpool target Ron-Robert Zieler has been told he can leave the club this summer, according to Kicker.

The German keeper is ready to quit Hannover this summer and has reportedly been told he can now leave, prompting more interest from Premier League side Liverpool.

The former Manchester United youth player has been a target for Reds boss Brendan Rodgers as he seeks competition for current number one Simon Mignolet.

The 25-year-old has been scouted numerous times this season by Liverpool and would be available at around £7m.

Borussia Monchengladbach are also keen on the shot stopper after losing Marc-Andre ter Stegen to La Liga giants Barcelona.

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