World Cup 2010 News: USA

Showing posts with label USA. Show all posts

Saturday, 12 June 2010

Algeria, Slovenia eye big chance after USA, England draw

Algeria and Slovenia open their World Cup Group C schedules on Sunday under a ton of pressure for a result.

Both clubs are underdogs to advance past England and the USA in the group, meaning getting off to a good start in the opener is imperative.

"In football you never know," Algeria midfielder Hassan Yebda told fifa.com. "We will do our best and play the first game against Slovenia and try to win. The first game is very, very important, if we can win it will be better for us. Slovenia though have a good team."

While Algeria is gearing up for just its third-ever World Cup, a familiar face is leading the way.

Coach Rabah Saadane, who also coached the team 24 years ago in its last World Cup appearance in Mexico, is at the helm again - for the fifth time - and it will take all his wisdom to get the Desert Foxes to the knockout stage.

On the field, midfielder Karim Ziani will be the key, not only against Slovenia on Sunday, but for the entire tournament. The playmaker plies his trade with German Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, and he has the versatility to pull the strings in the middle of the field, or shift out wide in a more indirect attacking role.

England keeper Rob Green howler rescues a point for USA

Just as South Africa opened their World Cup with a goal that will be remembered forever, so England, as is their wont, contrived to open theirs with a goalkeeping blunder that will never be forgotten. No sooner had Fabio Capello placed his confidence in Robert Green than his judgment was mocked by the sort of bungle no professional footballer can comfortably watch, an unforced error that allowed the USA back into a game on which England appeared to have a comfortable grip after Steven Gerrard's early goal.

Although Green will inevitably carry the can for this disappointment, in truth it was not a great England performance, just a great start. The American goal may have been a fluke, yet it came about because England were defending too deep and allowing their opponents to take pot shots. Far too little was seen of England's attacking players – Capello even turned to Peter Crouch before the end – to place all the blame on the goalkeeper.

Capello, true to his word, had kept everyone guessing right up to the last minute with his line-up, though there were no real surprises once it was understood that the Italian was not about to mess around with the system and selections that had proved so successful in qualifying on the basis of late claims made in inconsequential friendlies.

So Green retained his place as goalkeeper after all, just as Capello had promised. James Milner, who has consistently appeared in competitive games for Capello, was preferred on the left wing to Joe Cole, who has not. And Emile Heskey, on the back of three Premier League goals last season, was invited to resume as Wayne Rooney's gofer.

Friday, 11 June 2010

Altidore is fight to face England

United States coach Bob Bradley has confirmed Hull flop Jozy Altidore will start against England in Saturday's World Cup clash in Rustenburg.

Altidore netted only one goal for the Tigers last season when on loan from Villarreal.

But the 20-year-old will face Fabio Capello's side after recovering from an ankle injury which kept him out of last weekend's friendly win over Australia.

Altidore was USA's leading scorer during their qualification campaign with six goals.

Bradley said: "It was an important year for Jose. Any player that has gone to the Premier League finds out about the level and the competitiveness.

"But I think he grew a lot at Hull and the one thing I would always say about Jose, from our experiences with him, is when he's come into our camps he's shown that, when things don't come easily it's helped him.

Capello warns Rooney over his temperament

England manager Fabio Capello has confirmed he has spoken with Wayne Rooney following concerns over his temperament.

Rooney came in for criticism after he was booked against Platinum Stars on Monday for an outburst at the referee.

The Manchester United's actions sparked fears of a repeat dismissal at this summer's World Cup after his red mist in Germany four years ago.

Capello said: "Wayne Rooney played all the qualifying games for the World Cup and had no problems with the referees.

"I hope we see the same Rooney during the World Cup.

Thursday, 3 June 2010

USA on a $1m a man bonus to win World Cup

Each of the 23 players will collect £617,332 should they become the most unlikely winners in World Cup history, easily outstripping the £500,000-a-man on offer to Spain should Fernando Torres and co lift the trophy.

England's win bonus pool is kept confidential by the FA, but is believed to be in the region of £400-500,000 per player - but the entire England squad will donate all match fees to charity.

Brazil will offer each of their players around £250,000 for a win, while Germany will hand out £212,000 per man.

Yet the USA bonus is not dependent on overall victory: the players will share up to £1.1m in the group stage, a further £1.95m if they qualify for the last 16, £2.3m should they reach the quarter-finals and another £1.8m for making the semis. Should they make the final, they will then earn a further £4.7m, rising to £5.3m if they finish the job.

The money itself will come from FIFA, who pay the winners £21.4m in prize money, with £16.6m for the runners-up. Prize money then tapers off, but all teams participating in the finals are guaranteed a minimum of £5.5m.

Sunday, 30 May 2010

USA 2 - Turkey 1

USA gain valuable win over turkey in their last friendly before leaving for South Africa.

USA eventually gave Philadelphia the farewell party it demanded and, in the second half at least, something for Fabio Capello to ponder.

But America must know that if they play as they did in the opening half, the champagne corks popping in Rustenburg will bear an English stamp.

A crowd of more than 50,000 gathered at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field to wish the USA safe passage to the World Cup.

With the barbecues fired and the beer flowing in the vast car parks it was all going so well until the referee blew his whistle. Thereafter Turkey went through their short-passing, quick-footed repertoire to leave American coach Bob Bradley with serious remedial work to do at half time.

The opening goal followed a blueprint available to Capello. Whipps Cross-born Colin Kazim-Richardson sliced open a pedestrian defence to set Arda Turan away in acres of space down the left, the kind of room Aaron Lennon or Theo Walcott will relish if offered in Rustenburg. Turan survived a scissored challenge from two defenders to crack the ball past Tim Howard in goal.

The same defence shortcomings exposed on Tuesday night during the 4-2 defeat to the Czech Republic were evident here. AC Milan stopper Oguchi Onyewu failed to make the starting line-up again following the patellar tendon rupture suffered last October. Carlos Bocanegra, who had minor surgery to correct a hernia three weeks ago, filled in at left back with Jay DeMerit and Clarence Goodson forming a flat-footed pairing at centre-back.

West Ham’s Jonathan Spector was routinely outpaced at right back, offering Capello potentially rich rewards down the left. The one threat presented in the first half came from Jozy Altidore, whose cross after breaking into the box down the right, narrowly escaped the outstretched boot of Landon Donovan.

The introduction of Jose Torres and Robbie Findlay after the break produced significant forward thrust. Guus Hiddink’s team were hardly busting a gut to defend their lead and as the hour approached the Americans found a way to release Donovan, who disguised his pass beautifully to pick out the advancing Altidore.

Not oven Altidore, who failed to score in 25 successive games for Hull, could miss that cherry. What little interest Turkey retained evaporated allowing Clint Dempsey to add a second and clip a post with the cake there to be iced in the closing minutes.

Thursday, 13 May 2010

The USA names 30 man squad for South Africa 2010.

Coach Bob Bradley names 30 man squad for South Africa 2010.

USA coach Bob Bradley has named his provisional 30 man squad from which he will select the final 23 men to travel to South Africa for this summer’s 2010 World Cup.

The coach has included a host of players based in Europe, including an all Barclays Premier League selection of three goalkeepers: Brad Guzan, Tim Howard and Marcus Hahnemann.

USA face England, Slovenia and Algeria in Group C of the FIFA World Cup 2010.

Squad: Brad Guzan (Aston Villa), Tim Howard (Everton), Marcus Hahnemann (Wolves); Carlos Bocanegra (Rennes), Jonathan Bornstein (Chivas USA), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Clarence Goodson (IK Start), Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Heath Pearce (FC Dallas), Jonathan Spector (West Ham); DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Alejandro Bedoya (Orebro), Michael Bradley (Borussia Monchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Houston Dynamo), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Benny Feilhaber (Aarhus), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Sacha Kljestan (Chivas USA), Robbie Rogers (Columbus Crew), Jose Torres (Pachuca); Jozy Altidore (Villarreal), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy), Brian Ching (Houston Dynamo), Robbie Findley (Real Salt Lake), Herculez Gomez (Puebla), Eddie Johnson (Aris Thessaloniki)

Slovenia names 30-man World Cup provisional squad named.

Slovenia has named a 30 man provisional squad for the coming World Cup.

The Slovenia coach, Matjaz Kek, has named his 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup finals.

Slovenia who are in Group C alongside England, Algeria and the USA, must submit a final squad of 23 players on or before 1 June.

Robert Koren, the West Bromwich Albion midfielder, is Slovenia's only British-based player.

"I'm particularly happy about the last report from South Africa where the training headquarters of the Slovenian team, including an excellent pitch, are already waiting," Kek said in a statement.

The team qualified for the World Cup by ousting Russia in a big upset in the November playoffs on away goals. With a population of two million, Slovenia will be the smallest nation at the tournament.

Goalkeepers: Samir Handanovic (Udinese), Jasmin Handanovic (Mantova), Aleksander Seliga (Sparta Rotterdam), Jan Koprivec (Maribor).

Defenders: Bojan Jokic (Chievo), Marko Suler (Ghent), Bostjan Cesar (Grenoble), Branko Ilic (Lokomotiv Moscow), Matej Mavric (Koblenz), Dejan Kelhar (Cercle Brugge), Elvedin Dzinic (Maribor), Miso Brecko (Cologne), Aleksandar Rajcevic (Koper), Suad Filekovic (Maribor).

Midfielders: Andraz Kirm (Wisla Krakow), Andrej Komac (Maccabi Tel Aviv), Rene Krhin (Internazionale), Mirnes Sisic (Giannina), Darjan Matic (Rapid Bucharest), Dare Vrsic (Koper), Dalibor Stevanovic (Vitesse Arnhem), Robert Koren (West Bromwich Albion), Aleksander Radosavljevic (Larissa), Valter Birsa (Auxerre).

Forwards: Milivoje Novakovic (Cologne), Zlatko Dedic (VfL Bochum), Zlatan Ljubijankic (Ghent), Nejc Pecnik (Nacional), Miran Burgic (AIK), Tim Matavz (Groningen).

Tuesday, 16 March 2010

USA and Australia agree to World Cup warm up match.

The USA and Australia step up preparations for the World Cup in South Africa

Australia and USA will meet on 5 June in a 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa tune-up match in suburban Johannesburg on the weekend before each team plays its opener in the global football showdown.

The match at Roodepoort comes one week before the Americans open in Group C on 12 June against England at Rustenberg and eight days before the Socceroos play Germany in Group D in Durban.

"The match against Australia gives us a great opportunity to give the team a challenge a week before our opening match," US coach Bob Bradley said. "Australia demonstrated in 2006 (they went out to eventual champions Italy in the last 16) that they're a team capable of competing at the World Cup. A match against a quality opponent on South African soil at that point in our preparations will help our readiness for the game against England."

Sunday, 6 December 2009

World Cup Draw Reaction : Slovenia

After upsetting much fancied Russia to clinch a place in the World Cup, Slovenia now have the opportunity to prove themselves on the World Stage. The draw saw them facing England, USA and Algeria and Slovenian Manager Matjaz Kek is determined to see his country through to at least the second round.

Speaking after the draw Kek said "Depending on how we prepare, what condition we are in, I am convinced Slovenia will leave a good impression on the 2010 World Cup.

"We are able to play in the second round."

This is Slovenia's second ever appearance in the World Cup and they will be eager to avoid the fate of their first appearance where they finished last out of a group of South Africa, Spain and Paraguay losing all their games along the way.

World Cup Draw Reaction : Algeria

Algerian coach Rabah Saadane has targeted the match against group rivals Slovenia as key to their World Cup ambitions.

Speaking in an interview after the World Cup draw which saw Algeria drawn with England, USA and Slovenia Saadane "We were not expecting that group but it is playable but difficult, we will show our qualities and give everything we have got, Slovenia will be an important game, we have to win that game or get out at least something."

"USA and England will be difficult but we have a chance, so let's go for it."

World Cup Draw Reaction : USA

The USA are evoking memories of their sensational 1950 World Cup defeat of England as they prepare for the meeting of the two sides at next year's World Cup in South Africa.

The American coach Bob Bradley speaking to the BBC said "Belo Horizonte - every US soccer fan knows those details, and so we look forward to another opportunity (to repeat it)."

He expressed optimism about the chances of the USA and thinks their Confederation Cup experience from early on in the year will prove beneficial.

"It's amazing to start against England, everyone in the United States will be excited. Algeria and Slovenia (the two other Group C sides) are not big name teams but they are sides who could very well qualify."

"The Confederations Cup was a great experience. The stadiums for the world Cup will be packed to capacity, the passion for the game here is fantastic. And with it being winter in South Africa and the cooler temperatures the games are fast and at a high tempo - fans around the world are going to enjoy it."

World Cup Draw Reaction : England

Fabio Capello England's manager is quietly confindent after the draw saw England up against two sides they have beaten recently USA and Slovenia, as well as Algeria making a return to the World Cup after a 28 year abscence.

Speaking to reporters after the draw Capello said "It’s going to be good not to have to move from the place where we’re going to stay for our opening game, but we have difficult opponents who we must respect. USA are a good team, but so are Algeria and Slovenia. Every opponent at a World Cup is going to be difficult. We’re playing the last two group games at sea level, so that’s going to be a different challenge from our opening match in Rustenburg. But I won’t be offering excuses."

"Every team will have to meet awkward opponents, play in difficult conditions and win matches to win the World Cup. We’ve played and beaten USA and Slovenia recently, both are well-organised, they like to pass the ball and they’ll be good opponents. Algeria beat Egypt and they are a good team too, but I have to learn more about them. I know from experience as a player that when you play here (in the FIFA World Cup) the pressure is different and the mentality is different. But are we going to win the World Cup? We have to!"

World Cup 2010 News