Round of 16 preview: USA-Ghana

The United States topped their group with a thrilling one-nil win over Algeria just before the stroke of midnight. Ghana limped in with a loss to Germany but, thanks to Australia's upset of Serbia, advanced on goal differential. Saturday in Rustenburg at Royal Bafokeng stadium they'll square off in the second match of the round of 16.

First we flash back to 2006 in Nuremberg, Germany. In the last game of Group E, we would advance with a win (and an Italy win, which happened) over Ghana. In a soft performance by the USA that rounded out a terrible campaign, we crashed out with a 1-2 loss.

Fast forward to now: Claudio Reyna and his creaking bones are gone and Onyewu is four years more mature. The Yanks are coming with a ton of momentum, having put together some of their best showings ever starting with the second half against Slovenia. Landon Donovan has finally come of age and is ready to exorcise the demons of 2006, and for the first time soccer is not just a small blip on the United States' sports radar.

On the other hand, the Black Stars are on a downward slope; after starting with a win over Serbia, they tied a ten man Australia and then lost to the Germans. They do have one advantage: as the last African team left, the whole continent is behind them.

But just how good is this home field "advantage"? People expected Cameroon, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and hosts South Africa to have full support of the locals, yet they all were eliminated at the group stage. In addition, the USA has reportedly bought the most tickets out of any nation and Uncle Sam's army has been in full force for all our games. Our correspondent in South Africa bought a scalped Algeria ticket for only $20. You can bet a horde of American will flock to Rustenburg and buy up the remaining tickets to root us on to the quarterfinals. Hardly seems like Africa will be empowering Ghana from the stands.

When it comes down to it, the teams are pretty evenly matched. Both favor a physically intense, high octane game. The Yanks defense has been pretty solid, and Ghana's Serbian coach Milovan Rajevac has instilled a defensive discipline not seen in African sides. They are both very young squads whose players don't perform consistently, yet are a real threat on their day. The game could go either way, and boils down to a few things:

• Which Ghana offense shows up? They have only scored two goals this tournament, both from penalties. Against Australia they showed a real lack of patience, shooting from over 25 yards away, which will not trouble our keeper Tim Howard
• The USA key attacking players: Donovan, Dempsey, and Altidore. All had great spurts and runs, but often they do it at different times. If they are firing on all cylinder together, I reckon they'll be unstoppable.
• Ghana's defense: Their backline is either very young or very old, both of which are exploitable.
• Will Jonathan Bornstein start? Its been documented that I'm not his biggest fan. While he played well enough against Algeria, I'd rather not press our luck, especially against the tricky and pacey Prince Tagoe.
• Who partners Jozy up top? Hercules didn't look to bad and Buddle ran off of Altidore well, but Bob Bradley obviously favors Robbie Findley.
• Battle in the middle: its our two, Michael Bradley and Maurice Edu, against their three, Kevin-Prince Boateng, Anthony Annan, and Andre Ayew. Bradley and Boateng will be quite the battle. Both are hot-headed and rough and neither will back down from a confrontation.
• Don't give up a early goal. England score in the fourth minute, Slovenia in the thirteenth, and Algeria rocked the crossbar in the fifth minute and it nearly made me shit my heart. Just once lets not go behind and leave it to a nail-bitting ending. Lets score early and often then shut up shop, which is easier said than done of course.

If the USA plays like we did the last game and half and Ghana doesn't step it up, the Yanks should march on to the quarterfinals. If we come out flat, we may just be packing our bags. But momentum is with us, and we sure play well with momentum. I say USA 3, Ghana 1. Lets not end this dream just yet.

United States friendlies

The USMNT has lined up three friendlies ahead of their June 12th opening World Cup match against England all in an effort to help Coach Bradley make some cuts and galvanize the rest of the team.

Czech Republic, in Connecticut

A good opponent to test many of the on-the-fence guys. The Czechs beat us 3-0 back in 2006 in Germany, but this WC failed to qualify behind Slovakia and our Group C opponents Slovenia. (The Czechs tied Slovenia nil-nil and beat them one-nil, which of course means absolutely nothing.)

Featuring for the Czechs is their aptly named goalkeeper Petr Cech; the 6'5" Chelsea custodian will be a true test for our boys, as it takes a world-class finish to beat a world-class keeper. Missing for the Czechs is Rosicky (who we "fondly" remember for these goals against us), Milan Baros, and the recently retired golden locks of Pavel Nedved.

This result of this game is superfluous. More important is for our questionable players (Buddle) to show what they're made of. Also it is a chance for our guys to finally get some games in as a full squad, the first time since our lose in Amsterdam to the Dutch.

Turkey, in Pennsylvania

While the Turks are a fantastic WC warm-up opponent, the location of the game is, to me, dumb. The USMNT has no problem playing at home when the stands are full of red, white, and blue. We struggle outside our borders when the crowds are raw, wild, and full of boos, but I digress.

The Turks somehow didn't qualify behind Spain, and were 4 points behind second placed Bosnia-Herzegovenia ( a country named because Miss Herzegovnia did not want to relinquish her last name).

However, the Turks are very good. They beat the Czechs yesterday 2-1 at Red Bull Arena. They feature Bayern's Altintop, Valencia's Mehmet Topal, Stoke's poacher Tuncay and the highly rated youngster of Galatasaray, Arda Truan. Their biggest asset is their unity as a core. Turkey's chemistry makes them very difficult to break down and their high energy and tenacity makes possession very difficult. This game will be good practice for the likes of Slovenia and Algeria.

Australia, in Johannesburg

Last up are the Aussies, who we will hit the pitch with in our last game before facing England. I like that the game will give us a taste of South Africa which we haven't had since last summer's surprising run to the Confederation Cup finals.

Australia are fast and physical and never run out of steam. They boast loads of talent, with many players featuring in the Premiership: Tim Cahill (Everton), Vince Grella and Brett Emerton (Blackburn), and keeper Mark Schwarzer (Fulham). They also have the veterans Lucas Neill and former Leeds and Liverpool winger Harry Kewell, both now playing for Galatasaray.

The Aussies will be a fantastic warm-up for England. Though they are not as good, we will need to show the same ability defending and will not be able to rely on our American athleticism and conditioning. A good result will be important to boost our confidence ahead of our June 12th kickoff.

Only three games to oil our gears and get the engines going seems sparse, but great seasons from Deuce, Timmy, and Landy D to name a few have me psyched up for our Cup chances. And if thats not enough, maybe this is:

USMNT WC 2010: Who's Making the Cut?

Fans of the U.S. Mens National Team are eagerly anticipating May 15, the date when 26-28 Americans will report to Princeton University begin the official pre-World Cup training camp for USMNT. Although it is a good sign and a huge honor and there are definitely some locks to make it to South Africa, a training camp invite is not necessarily a guarantee for a spot on the final 23-man roster. Headman Bob Bradley will use not only the week-long camp but also two friendlies against the Czech Republic (5/25 in East Hartford) and Turkey (5/29) in Philadelphia to make final judgments before submitting the final roster by June 1. Let's take a look at some the prospects of USMNT's finest.

STONE COLD LOCKS

Forwards: Jozy Altidore (Hull City/Villarreal)

• Despite the mini-meltdown against Sunderland as well as only 1 goal in 28 appearances this season at Hull, it would be an absolute stunner if Bob Bradley even considered to leave Jozy off the roster. Admittedly, Altidore is a raw product, but he has shown potential on the big stage, most notably against Spain in the Confed Cup semis last summer.

Midfielders: Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Clint Dempsey (Fulham), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy), Benny Feilhaber (AGF)

• Dempsey and Donovan are no-brainers, especially considering their strong performance in the premiership this season. Bradley, Clark, and Feilhaber all have shown consistent play in recent appearances with the USMNT and Clark's recent move to the notoriously physical Bundesliga should help him adjust more to the rigors of World Cup play.
  

Defenders: Carlos "Blackmouth" Bocanegra (Rennes), Jay DeMerit (Watford), Oguchi Onyewu (AC Milan), Jonathan Spector (West Ham)

• Bocanegra, a defensive stalwart and a set piece wiz, will likely wear the captain's armband again in South Africa. Despite playing in the Championship and having some scary injury issues, DeMerit has been solid in past USMNT appearances. Onyewu hasn't played since the last WCQ againt Costa Rica so match fitness is an issue, but he is back to full training and is too much of a stud to leave off the starting lineup. Spector has had a trying season with West Ham flirting with relegation for much of the EPL campaign, but his defense coupled with his ability to play the long ball (as evidenced below against Brazil) make him an asset on D.

Goalkeepers: Tim Howard (Everton), Brad Guzan (Aston Villa)

• One of the great ironies of the June 12 matchup between USA and England is that one of England's perennial weaknesses has always been one of the US' greatest strengths. There is no doubt that both Howard or Guzan (or even Marcus Hahnemann as we'll discuss later) would start for the Three Lions if they were England eligible.

PROBABLY MAKING THE TEAM

Forward: None

• Forward is a position of great concern for USMNT. Injuries and incompetence have made Jozy the only for sure thing at this position, and even he has some question marks.

Midfield: Maurice Edu (Rangers), Stuart Holden (Bolton), Jose Francisco Torres (Pachuca)

• Torres and Edu both have won titles in the past weeks with Pachuca (CONCACAF Champions League) and Rangers (Scottish Premier League) respectively. Holden is back in training with Bolton after breaking his fibula in the friendly against Holland and is even being considered to start in Bolton's finale against Spurs.

Defenders: Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96)

• Stevie C has been battling injuries lately, but has returned to playing full 90s with Hannover 96, a side potentially staring at life in the second tier of the Bundesliga.

Goalkeepers: Marcus Hahnemann (Wolverhampton)

• I was flabbergasted to learn that Hahnemann has had one of the top save percentages in the Premier League this season. One could even argue that he has single-handedly kept Wolves away from relegation. But alas, the Screamin' Eagles are so loaded at GK that it would take a miracle for Hahnemann to see the pitch this summer.

ROUNDING OUT THE FINAL 23

Forward: Charlie Davies (Sochaux), Edson Buddle (Los Angeles Galaxy)

• Call me an optimist, but I think Charlie will complete his well documented comeback and make the final roster. As stated earlier, USMNT has very few quality options up top. Although Davies needs to get in match shape (with limited opportunities remaining in the Ligue 1 season), I could envision Bob Bradley using #9 as a second half sub and a spark to provide some offensive energy in situations where the Americans might be trailing. I, for one, would be extremely delighted to see the "Stanky Leg" unleashed in Africa.

• Buddle's is a unique case: a player with a handful of caps who has been red hot in league play. Although MLS defense is far from what the US will deal with this summer, I can't imagine Buddle playing too much anyways. Either way, I think he'll find a way to squeeze onto the roster. Brian Ching and Conor Casey have cap experience, but their poor performances lately (along with their incredible lack of speed), will leave them off the roster.
  

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Rangers), Sacha Klejstan (Chivas USA)

• Beasley had a horrendous Confederations Cup that left most observers wondering if he would ever don the red, white, and blue ever again. But he has really come on lately a Rangers and a solid appearance against Holland in March may have cemented his place in the final 23. His World Cup experience probably doesn't hurt either. I had been off the Sacha Klejstan for a while, but he has really impressed so far this season at Chivas. In both of the games I've seen him, he's controlled possession, made smart decisions, and has been all over the field, all qualities you look for in a midfielder. He also had this screamer against San Jose two weeks ago.

Defenders: Edgar Castillo (Tigres), Clarence Goodson (IK Start)

• I think Bradley will take a chance on Castillo, a guy who is unproven in USMNT terms, but has shown flashes in the Mexican league. Goodson has had some caps in some minor USMNT matches and plays consistently in Norway. I would consider both of these guys to be insurance policies for the back line.

EVENTUAL STARTING XI:

Forwards: Altidore, Dempsey
Midfield: Clark, Donovan, Bradley, Holden
Defenders: Bocanegra, Onyewu, DeMerit, Spector
Goalkeeper: Howard
Top Subs: Davies, Feilhaber, Edu