USA V Czech Republic - Preview

US face Czech challenge in key opener

Sixteen years after a World Cup meeting which launched a reversal of form, US and Czech teams play again here Monday as ranked contenders needing a victory in a difficult Group E.

Goalkeeper Kasey Keller of the United States 2006 National Team warms-up during their morning practice at HSV Norderstedt in Norderstedt, Germany 08 June 2006. The team is preparing for the upcoming 2006 FIFA World Cup matches. AFP PHOTO Timothy A. CLARY

Second-ranked Czech Republic made an impressive Euro 2004 semi-final run with a veteran attacking squad while fifth-rated United States enters a fifth consecutive Cup finals appearance coming off a shock 2002 quarter-final run.

The US national team's head coach Bruce Arena gives a press conference, 21 March 2006 at the Signal Iduna Park in Darmstadt, one day ahead of their friendly world Cup preparation match against Germany in Dortmund. AFP PHOTO DDP/JUERGEN SCHWARZ GERMANY OUT

"They're a great team but we're no slouches ourselves," US goalkeeper Kasey Keller said. "If we play to our ability we know we can beat them."

Victory will be vital with perennial power Italy and African power Ghana also trying to advance from Group E.

In their only prior match, the Czechs beat the US team 5-1 on their way to the 1990 quarter-finals as the Americans ended a 40-year Cup drought. Czechs have not played in the Cup finals since. The US team has not missed one since.

A dozen US players boast prior Cup experience. Keller and midfielder Claudio Reyna make their fourth Cup appearance. The Americans are 0-6 against European teams on European soil in the World Cup but have never been so knowledgable.

"Experience is an advantage. There is a benefit to having played in the World Cup before," said US coach Bruce Arena, whose eight-year tenure is the longest of any World Cup coach.

"Are we ready to win a World Cup? No. But we're moving in the right direction. We've been improving for the past eight years. That's why I'm still around."

Elusive Czech forward Milan Baros, the top scorer in Euro 2004 with five goals, has struggled in recent days with a foot injury that will make him a last-minute decision, although Arena expects him to play and play well.

A bigger worry is 2.01m forward Jan Koller, who has 42 goals in 68 matches. He returned in April from knee surgery and will affect Keller, 36, who seeks his first Cup victory.

Pavel Nedved, the 2003 European Player of the Year, is back after 16 months off. The Juventus playmaker joins "Little Mozart" Tomas Rosicky in a formidable Czech midfield.

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who turned 24 three weeks ago, was last year's European Goalkeeper of the Year after 24 shutouts and a scoreless streak of 1,025 minutes, both Premiership records.

Teams

United States

Kasey Keller, Steve Cherundolo, Eddie Lewis, Oguchi Onyewu, Eddie Pope, Pablo Mastroeni, Claudio Reyna (captain), Bobby Convey, DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan, Brian McBride. Coach: Bruce Arena

Czech Republic

Petr Cech, Zdenek Grygera, Marek Jankulovski, Tomas Ujfalusi, David Rozehnal, Tomas Galasek (captain), Karel Poborsky, Jaroslav Plasil, Tomas Rosicky, Pavel Nedved, Jan Koller. Coach: Karel Buckner

Referee

Carlos Amarilla (PAR)