Latvian President Vaira Vīķe-Freiberga is scheduled to address a joint meeting of the U.S. Congress at 11 a.m. ET June 7, according to the president’s press office.

Vīķe-Freiberga, on a visit to the United States in late February and early March, was invited by Speaker of the House Dennis Hastert to address Congress.

Joint meetings of Congress are infrequent. So far this year, only three have been held and all were to hear from foreign leaders: Prime Minister Ehud Olmert of Israel, President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia and Silvio Berlusconi, who at the time was prime minister of Italy. In addition, President George W. Bush presented his State of the Union to a joint session of Congress.

Vīķe-Freiberga’s appearance before Congress in Washington, D.C., will cap a weeklong visit to the United States that will begin with her arrival May 31 in Los Angeles. From June 1-4, the president will attend the the 45th annual International Achievement Summit. Vīķe-Freiberga also will meet June 3 with members of the Latvian community in Los Angeles.

In Washington, the president is expected on June 5 to present the 7th Annual Peter Weitz Journalism Prize at a meeting of the German Marshall Fund of the United States. On June 6, she will meet with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. And after the president’s June 7 address to Congress, Vīķe-Freiberga is scheduled to meet with Hastert and Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, as well as with business representatives.

Vīķe-Freiberga will leave for Latvia on June 8, arriving in Rīga on June 9.

(UPDATED 30 MAY 2006)

The Latvian National Team fell 0-1 to the U.S. Men’s National Team in a football (soccer) friendly game May 28 in East Hartford, Conn.

The U.S. team’s goal came in the 43rd minute of the first half when Brian McBride, assisted by Steve Cherundolo, scored from six yards out, getting the ball past Latvia goalie Aleksandrs Koļinko, according to the Web site for U.S. Soccer.

The Latvian team appeared in much better form during the second half than in the first, Coach Jurijs Andrejevs said.

“In all the second half showed quality football,” he said in a statement released by the Latvian Football Federation. “If we would have realized one of our goal attempts, then the game would have been ideal.”

The U.S. team got eight shots on goal, but Latvia had three.

Latvian players Genādijs Soloņicins, Andrejs Prohorenkovs and Juris Laizāns each was booked with a yellow card, while the U.S. squad earned none.

A total of 24,636 people attended the game, including a contingent of Latvian fans, according to the LFF and U.S. Soccer.

The Latvian National Team’s next friendly match is against Russia on Aug. 16, according to the LFF. The U.S. team, meanwhile, heads June 1 to the World Cup in Germany.

(UPDATED 29 MAY 2006)

Latvia’s national football (soccer) team has arrived in the United States and is preparing for its May 28 friendly match against the U.S. Men’s National Team, the Latvian Football Federation has announced.

The teams are scheduled to play at 7 p.m. ET May 28 in Rentschler Field, 615 Silver Lane, East Hartford, Conn.

The game also is to be broadcast live on the cable television channel ESPN2, meaning it will be viewable at 2 a.m. May 29 in Latvia.

The U.S. team will be coming off a last-second loss May 23 against Morocco and a game scheduled May 26 against Venezuela. The Latvian team is scheduled to practice May 26 and 27.

The Latvian players challenging the U.S. team include Vitālijs Astafjevs, Kristaps Blanks, Aleksandrs Isakovs, Deniss Ivanovs, Gatis Kalniņš, Ģirts Karlsons, Oskars Kļava, Aleksandrs Koļinko, Juris Laizāns, Viktors Morozs, Andrejs Piedels, Andrejs Prohorenkovs, Andrejs Rubins, Māris Smirnovs, Genādijs Soloņicins, Māris Verpakovskis, Aleksejs Višņakovs, Artūrs Zakreševskis and Dzintars Zirnis. The team is coached by Jurijs Andrejevs.

The Latvian team traces its roots to 1922, when a national football team was organized in newly independent Latvia. Football, however, was first mentioned in Latvian media in 1906, according to the Latvian Football Federation. Latvia’s national team most recently got wide notice when it qualified for the finals of the Euro 2004 championship in Portugal. In addition to friendly games, Latvia is preparing for its 2006 and 2007 qualifying matches for the Euro 2008 championship.

The Latvian Football Federation has arranged with U.S. Soccer to reserve section 117 of Rentschler Field for Latvian fans. For tickets and directions to Rentschler Field, visit www.rentschlerfield.com.