U.S. National Soccer Team
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C M Y K H8 SPECIALSPT 06-07-06 EZ EE H8 CMYK H8 Wednesday, June 7, 2006 R x The Washington Post World Cup 2006 U.S. Team at a Glance BY STEVEN GOFF, WASHINGTON POST STAFF WRITER KEY RESERVES/ ALSO THERE STARTERS PROBABLE STARTERS* GOALKEEPERS IN WAITING 1 TIM HOWARD Age: 27 | Caps: 16 DEFENDERS Ht.: 6-3 | Wgt: 210 Club: Manchester United/ 3 CARLOS BOCANEGRA GOALKEEPER 18 KASEY KELLER Everton, on loan (England). Age: 27 | Caps: 40 What He Does Well: Ht.: 6-0 | Wgt: 170 Age: 36 | Caps: 93 What He Does Well: His sublime Where You’ll Strong presence in the box, Club: Fulham (England). Ht.: 6-2 | Wgt: 190 reflexes and ability to anticipate See Him: Barring » sharp reflexes. What He Does Well: Club: Borussia dangerous situations rescued the injury or sudden Where You’ll See Him: Physical back who is good in the Moenchengladbach U.S. team on numerous occasions loss of form, he On the bench, looking forward air, has a strong left foot and (Germany). during the qualifying stages. will start every game. to 2010. could bolster U.S. set pieces. Where You’ll See Him: 19 MARCUS HAHNEMANN A central role alongside Onyewu, Age: 33 | Caps: 6 at left back in a three-man align- DEFENDERS Ht.: 6-3 | Wgt: 220 ment or, more likely, a second- Club: Reading (England). half option. 6 STEVE CHERUNDOLO 22 OGUCHI ONYEWU 23 EDDIE POPE 7 EDDIE LEWIS What He Does Well: Age: 27 Aggressive and intimidating. 12 GREGG BERHALTER Age: 24 Age: 32 Age: 32 Caps: 35 Caps: 14 Caps: 80 Caps: 70 Where You’ll See Him: Age: 32 | Caps: 44 Ht.: 5-6 Ht.: 6-4 Ht.: 6-1 Ht.: 5-10 On the bench, needed only Ht.: 6-1 | Wgt: 175 Wgt: 145 Wgt: 210 Wgt: 180 Wgt: 155 in case of emergency. Club: 1860 Munich (Germany). Club: Club: Club: Real Club: What He Does Well: Hannover 96 Standard Salt Lake Leeds United DEFENDERS Central back was a late (Germany). Liege (Belg.). (MLS). (England). replacement for Cory Gibbs What He Does Well: What He Does Well: What He Does Well: What He Does Well: Crosses 2 CHRIS ALBRIGHT (knee) on the roster and will Compensates for his smallish A towering force in the middle of Former D.C. United star is strong from the left with pinpoint accu- Age: 27 | Caps: 20 offer big-game experience. frame with tight marking, smart the back line, the Olney native is in the air, carries the experience racy, shoots well from beyond Ht.: 6-1 | Wgt: 185 Where You’ll See Him: tackling, composed dribbling strong in the air and has the of two previous World Cups and the penalty area and serves a Club: L.A. Galaxy (MLS). Very unlikely to start but and timely runs. upper body strength to go shoul- plays a simple but effective style. threatening free kick. What He Does Well: could see late-game action. Where You’ll See Him: der to shoulder with elite strikers. Where You’ll See Him: Where You’ll See Him: Despite At international level, his Starting at right back, with the Where You’ll See Him: A likely starter in central being a left wing for Leeds, he is strength and heading ability MIDFIELDERS skills to venture forward. Battling 6-7 Jan Koller of the Czech defense. likely to start at left back for his are beneficial. Republic and 6-4 Luca Toni of Italy. country. Where You’ll See Him: 5 JOHN O’BRIEN Could enter in second half at left or right back. Age: 28 | Caps: 31 Ht.: 5-9 | Wgt: 150 MIDFIELDERS 13 JIMMY CONRAD Club: Chivas USA (MLS). 4 PABLO MASTROENI Age: 29 | Caps: 15 What He Does Well: 10 CLAUDIO REYNA Ht.: 6-2 | Wgt: 185 When healthy — which hasn’t Age: 32 | Caps: 109 Age: 29 Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS). been often since the last Ht.: 5-9 | Wgt: 160 Caps: 48 What He Does Well: World Cup — he’s a gifted Club: Manchester City (England). Ht.: 5-10 Intelligent and well organized. passer and perceptive organizer. What He Does Well: Team Wgt: 170 Where You’ll See Him: Where You’ll See Him: captain and former U-Va. star Club: Possible late-game reinforce- The bigger question is how sets the tone of the attack, Colorado ment if U.S. team is winning. much you’ll see him. Could play recognizes when adjustments » Rapids (MLS). a central role or on the flank. are needed and has the ability What He Does Well: MIDFIELDERS 8 CLINT DEMPSEY to drop a perfectly weighted Physical, uncompromising tackler who disrupts opposing 14 BEN OLSEN Age: 23 | Caps: 21 pass onto a teammate’s foot. Where You’ll See Him: Most playmakers and initiates his team’s Age: 29 | Caps: 34 Ht.: 6-1 | Wgt: 170 attacks and counterattacks. Ht.: 5-8 | Wgt: 140 Club: N.E. Revolution (MLS). likely in a deeper midfield role than in past World Cups. Where You’ll See Him: Club: D.C. United (MLS). What He Does Well: Deep in the midfield, just in What He Does Well: Feisty Improvises on the run, creates front of the central defenders. player who can join the attack. opportunities out of nothing 17 DaMARCUS BEASLEY Where You’ll See Him: and offsets his untamed style Age: 24 15 BOBBY CONVEY Possible late-game with opportunistic goals. Caps: 58 reinforcement if central Where You’ll See Him: Ht.: 5-8 Age: 23 midfield is wearing down. He’s at his best in the middle — Wgt: 145 Caps: 39 where he is likely a reserve — Club: PSV Ht.: 5-8 FORWARDS but he could start on the right Eindhoven Wgt: 150 side. (Netherlands). Club: Reading 11 BRIAN CHING What He Does Well: Runs at (England). Age: 28 | Caps: 20 FORWARDS defenders with feet moving at the What He Ht.: 6-1 | Wgt: 195 pace of a hummingbird’s wings, Does Well: Runs the flank well, Club: Houston Dynamo (MLS). 16 JOSH WOLFF dribbles effectively in tight spaces likes to take on defenders and What He Does Well: has improved his crossing and Age: 29 | Caps: 47 and scores goals regularly. Strong in the air and knows Where You’ll See Him: Hard to scoring abilities. how to score. Ht.: 5-8 | Wgt: 160 Where You’ll See Him: At left Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS). say. A natural on the left, but he Where You’ll See Him: could wind up on the right, the midfield, where he has become McBride’s natural back-up, What He Does Well: A creator a legitimate starting option. more than a goal scorer, his middle or the bench. though he could start if Arena speed allows him to outpace wants a big front line. defenders and set up team- mates inside the penalty area. FORWARDS COACHES Where You’ll See Him: BRUCE ARENA Head coach Outside chance of starting, but 21 LANDON DONOVAN 20 BRIAN McBRIDE more likely a second-half option. Home: Fairfax Age: 24 | Caps: 81 Age: 33 | Caps: 92 Age: 54 9 EDDIE JOHNSON Ht.: 5-8 | Wgt: 148 Ht.: 6-1 | Wgt: 170 Head Coaching Experience: Age: 22 | Caps: 18 Club: L.A. Galaxy (MLS). Club: Fulham (England). University of Virginia; Ht.: 6-0 | Wgt: 180 What He Does Well: The most What He Does Well: Steady D.C. United; Club: Kansas City Wizards (MLS). complete — and important — target man is deadly in the air, 1996 U.S. Olympic team. What He Does Well: When player on the U.S. team because holds the ball effectively with his Playing Experience: healthy, he scores goals at an he makes things happen with his back to the goal and makes preci- Goalkeeper for Nassau (N.Y.) impressive rate with a quick, acceleration, technical skills and scoring capability. sion runs away from the action. Community College and powerful shot and the ability to Where You’ll See Him: A definite starter, but as a Where You’ll See Him: Cornell; one appearance for ward off defenders. withdrawn forward, playmaking midfielder or right Starting at the very top of the U.S. national team. Where You’ll See Him: wing? formation. Possible starter next to ASSISTANT COACHES McBride, or a dangerous * Note: Naming probable starters for the U.S. team is a tenuous proposition, since coach Bruce Arena likes to adjust his lineup game to game to create favorable matchups. Glenn Myernick weapon off the bench. Curt Onalfo FIRST ROUND GROUP BREAKDOWNS » FRIDAY, JUNE 9 Tournament Schedule A Costa Rica, Ecuador, Germany, Poland Costa Rica vs. Germany Round of 16 Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Semifinals Quarterfinals Round of 16 B Sweden, England, Paraguay, (Group A), noon, ESPN2 Group A winner Group B winner Trinidad and Tobago Poland vs. Ecuador (A), C Argentina, Ivory Coast, 3 p.m., ESPN2 11 a.m., June 24 11 a.m., June 25 Netherlands, Serbia-Mont. Group B runner-up ABC Group A runner-up ABC D Angola, Iran, Mexico, Portugal 11 a.m., July 1 E Czech Republic, Ghana, Italy, » SATURDAY, JUNE 10 Group C winner 11 a.m., June 30 ABC Group D winner ESPN United States England vs. Paraguay (B), 3 p.m., June 24 3 p.m., June 25 F Australia, Brazil, Croatia, Japan 9 a.m., ABC Group D runner-up ESPN Group C runner-up ESPN G France, South Korea, Switzerland, Togo Trin. and Tobago vs. Sweden 3 p.m., July 4 2 p.m., July 9 3 p.m., July 5 (B), noon, ABC Group E winner ABC ESPN Group F winner H Saudia Arabia, Spain, ESPN Tunisia, Ukraine Argentina vs.