After more than a week of talk and speculation about injuries and the players who will make the final 23-man roster, the US National Team finally faces its first test today in East Hartford, Conn. (8 p.m. ET).
The presence of NBA great Bill Russell at US practice could prove inspiration for Bob Bradley’s men against the Czech Republic.
This morning the players will already have been notified who is on the game day roster for the USA and which seven players will watch from the stands. One of those could be DaMarcus Beasley.
Herculez Gomez has been on a magical run and is expected to see time at Rentschler Field. The magic continued on the bus ride from Princeton to Hartford and an incredible Herculez card trick.
Alejandro Bedoya believes he is on the outside looking in going into Tuesday’s cuts.
As we wait for kickoff tonight, here’s a USA Today feature on Landon Donovan’s hopes for 2010 after Bruce Arena said he didn't show up four years ago. Yahoo featured USA goalkeeper Tim Howard.
Howard may be one of the elder statesmen on the USA squad, but the team could be one of the youngest ever fielded in US World Cup history.
It wouldn’t be World Cup season if we didn’t have our daily dose on the state of soccer in the USA.
A major difference-maker for the sport, according to MLS Commissioner Don Garber, is a World Cup hosted in the USA, which would provide an unprecedented shift in momentum.
In East Hartford for the US match is MLS VP Todd Durbin, who addressed youth development and designated player signings by MLS clubs.
England sent the US a warning by defeating CONCACAF power Mexico by a 3-1 result.
Also in the UK, Revolution head coach Steve Nicol is still answering for a missed shot in the 1986 World Cup for Scotland. His excuse is interesting.
Seattle’s recent signing of Jeff Parke will likely come in handy after star central defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado was lost to an ACL tear.
D.C. United, in dire straits of their own, were reportedly after Nacho Novo but apparently lost that contest, too.
DC are getting ready to face AC Milan, who have already embarrassed themselves before even taking the field with their pregame comments.
AC Milan arch rivals and UEFA Champions League winners Inter Milan have added another stop to their US tour with a match in Los Angeles.
After they were showered by goals from the New York Red Bulls on the weekend, Italian club Juventus took another bath at a tourist destination in New York.
The Red Bulls are already looking forward to some sightseeing of their own as they join the rest of MLSon a two-week hiatus for the start of the World Cup.
Canada helped Argentina get ready for the World Cup and finished on the end of a 5-0 result in a tune-up match. Houston Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad was the one picking the ball out of the net.
One Canadian team doing its country proud is Toronto FC, who have begun to win over the fans.
Cape Verde had a better night than Onstad, holding Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal to a 0-0 tie in a warm-up for the Portuguese side coached by ex-MetroStars coach Carlos Queiroz.
Finally, the match featuring Queiroz's compatriot José Mourinho did not get the rating that had been predicted by its US broadcaster.
