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USA - Team Profile
30/03/2006
Being placed in the "Group Of Death" and a possible second round match against Brazil means the United States team will find it hard to better their quarter-final finish of the last World Cup in Japan and South Korea. That said, they are a more experienced team this season with many of their squad playing regularly in the top European leagues.
In Tim Howard, Kasey Keller and Marcus Hahnemann they have an abundance of talent between the sticks. Keller is a regular for German side Borussia Mönchengladbach while Hahnemann can be seen each week turning out for Championship outfit Reading. Tim Howard has lost his place in the Manchester United side to Dutch giant Edwin Van Der Saar but that does not make him any less of a keeper.
In Oguchi Onyewu (Standard Liège), Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham), Steve Cherundolo (Hanover 96) they have three players in defence who are intelligent, quick and agile while Eddie Pope (Real Salt Lake) is a regular starter in the MSL. They suffered a slight tournament setback when they lost Frankie Hejduk to a cruciate injury calling converted striker Chris Albright into the squad.
Plenty of experience in midfield sees Manchester City's holding midfielder Claudio Reyna expected to start with Reading's Bobby Convey full of confidence after his side gained promotion to the Premiership in record time. The fantastically named DaMarcus Beasley is an option having shown quality playing for PSV Eindhoven in the Dutch league. Another midfield choice could be Leeds United's Eddie Lewis who has shown a steely determination in one of the most competitive leagues in the world.
In attack or "offense" Brian McBride has been playing well in a struggling Fulham side and could start alongside home based favourite Landon Donovan. Brian Ching and Josh Wolff are other options for the longest serving of all the World Cup 2006 coaches.