Posted on 06/12/2006 5:28:43 AM PDT by soccer_maniac
The wait finally comes to an end Monday for 11 of the 15 MLS players at the 2006 World Cup as the U.S. national team opens Group E play against Czech Republic in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. The Los Angeles Galaxy's Landon Donovan will lead the U.S. team into action starting at 11:55 a.m. ET on ESPN2.
In other action, Australia meets Japan in Kaiserslautern at 8:55 a.m. (ESPN2) for a Group F match. Italy and Ghana clash in the third match of the day, a Group E affair in Hanover at 2:55 p.m. (ESPN2).
(Excerpt) Read more at mlsnet.com ...
SOCCER HATERS -- Please have some class and stop adding stupid keyword and stop hijacking this thread.
Don't you have something better to do than to post about how much you think soccer sucks, in a thread clearly intended only for those who're interested in the world's biggest soccer tournament?
'Czech is ranked #2? I didn't know that. Dang, they'll be tough.
Rankings'
The real rankings are where the money is:
http://www.oddschecker.com/betting/mode/o/card/worldcup2006-worldcup/odds/10218x/sid/10062
England ranked 2nd after Erazil - come on ENG-GER-LAND!
Good luck to the USA team a well, I shall be supporting you if England are out. :D
We need to beat the Czechs if we really want to get out of this group into the next round. We have a better chance of beating the favored Czechs than the Italians. Here's hoping we equal or surpass the performances of Costa Rica, T&T, and Mexico.
Czech Republic (probable): Cech, Grygera, Jankulovski, Rozehnal, Ujfalusi, Galasek, Nedved, Poborsky, Rosicky, Baros, Koller
BIG MATCH STATS - Head-to-head
At the World Cup in 1990 Czechoslovakia beat the United States 5-1 in a group stage encounter. It was the only previous meeting between these teams.
Czechoslovakia finished second in the group, behind Italy, and eventually reached the quarter-finals where they were eliminated by West Germany (1-0). The US finished bottom of the group after losing all three matches.
Team facts - United States
The United States will take part in a World Cup for the fifth consecutive time and the eighth time in total. They are one of only seven teams to have been present at every World Cup since 1990. At the last finals, the US were eliminated in the quarter-finals by eventual runners-up Germany (1-0).
Bruce Arena's side qualified by winning the final CONCACAF group, ahead of Mexico. They have won just two of their seven previous opening matches at the World Cup.
Team facts - Czech Republic
Including Czechoslovakia's appearances, this will be the Czech's ninth World Cup. Their best result was winning a silver medal, which they did in both 1934 and 1962.
Karel Bruckner's squad features just two players who are active in the Czech Republic's domestic league - Jaromir Blazek and Karel Poborsky.
Player facts - United States
USA goalkeeper Kasey Keller is the only squad member at this year's tournament who was also present at the 1990 World Cup in Italy. He was an unused sub behind Tony Meola for the entire tournament.
Having already scored in 1998 (once) and 2002 (twice), Brian McBride can become the first American to score at three different World Cup tournaments.
Player facts - Czech Republic
Jan Koller provided nine goals in eight qualifying matches. He has scored 42 times in 68 appearances, and is already the all-time top scorer for the Czech Republic / Czechoslovakia. He's also the joint tallest player at this tournament. His six foot seven and a half inches, equals the height of Australia reserve goalkeeper Zeljko Kalac and the Serbia & Montenegro striker Nikola Zigic.
Karel Poborsky is the Czech's all-time cap leader with 115 international matches to his name. Striker Milan Baros was crowned top scorer at Euro 2004 with five goals.
Miscellaneous Info
The United States have played 13 World Cup matches against European opponents, winning three, drawing one and losing nine.
This match may see teammates from the German club Hannover 96 Steve Cherundolo (USA) and Jiri Stajner (Czech Republic) on opposite ends of the pitch.
Sorry for the "bold" in the previous post.
Thanks for all the info on your posts!
I got the food services manager to put it on ESPN2 in the cafeteria, and he'll keep it on the whole time there are games! Yippee! Long lunch.
And I can poke my head in whenever I can and check what's going on at the moment, too.
This should be Day 4 thread. Yesterday was Day 3.
One thing in USA's favor is the experience of the Yanks--I think something like 12 of the 23 have played in WC before. That experience will help them withstand the frenzy of the first 5 minutes of each half, when nervous energy is at its height and the Czech team will want to put the USA on its heels. If Reyna can calm down our midfield, we have a good shot at winning. I trust McBride to control the center forward area and to make some key passes to Donovan streaking into the box.
I'm rolling tape at home, but I don't mind knowing what the score is before I watch the tape.
The USA will probably go with a 4-3-1-2, with Donovan as the midfielder/forward and the key to the attack.
I understand, but this dude is going to look like Yao Ming out there. Soccer players just aren't that tall.
We get it at 8 p.m. here. The bar on our compound will be crowded tonight.
I think Australia better get a goal in in the first half or Japan is going to steal this game with a counter. Australia is the better side right now.
Yeah, but Yao Ming rocks. ;-)
GOAL JAPAN.
I don't think it was a foul. As a former goalie, I think goalies are too protected. Goal should stand.
disagree. Clear foul. Keeper was knocked out of the way -- he had no chance.
Australia look the better side.
Anybody know what's going on with Hiddink on the sideline? Looks like he's lost his marbles for sure...
Thanks for the ping!
The two expert talking heads on Swedish TV are divided on the goal. One thinks it should have been a free kick, the other thinks the ref was right.
Personally, I wanted to see the goal disallowed.
But, I am biased :-)
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