|
 |
The first independent gambling guide to the best online
casinos!
U.S. Draws Into Strong Group at
World Cup
Defending champion Brazil will play its first match of next year's World
Cup against 1998 semifinalist Croatia, while the United States was drawn
into a strong group with Italy, the Czech Republic and Ghana.
The United States opens against the Czech Republic on June 12 at
Gelsenkirchen. The Americans play Italy on June 17 at Kaiserslautern and
finish the first round against Ghana on June 22 at Nuremberg.
"We will have our hands full. We know they are all going to be difficult
games," United States coach Bruce Arena said. "Italy is always nice
because of my heritage."
The Americans lost to Czechoslovakia and Italy in their first two games
of the 1990 World Cup, the first appearance in the tournament for the
U.S. team since 1950. The Americans are 0-3-2 against Italy and have
never played Ghana or the Czech Republic, which split from Slovakia in
1993.
Five-time champion Brazil also faces Australia and Japan in Group F.
Croatia played Brazil for the first time in August in Croatia, a 1-1
tie.
"It will be tough, but it will also definitely be memorable considering
both teams like to control the ball," said Croatia's naturalized
Brazilian, striker Eduardo da Silva.
Argentina has to play the Netherlands in another difficult first-round
group, which also has the Ivory Coast and Serbia-Montenegro.
"It's an extremely difficult group. It's also good for us," said Ivory
Coast coach Henri Michel, a Frenchman. "We will see good soccer.
Argentina, Serbia-Montenegro and the Dutch all play great soccer. I
think it's the toughest group."
England was drawn in Group B with Sweden, the home country of England
coach Sven-Goran Eriksson. But the rest of that group, Paraguay and
Trinidad and Tobago, is not considered strong.
Dennis Lawrence, whose goal in a playoff against Bahrain put Trinidad
into the World Cup, was delighted to be facing England, where he plays
for Wrexham.
"I can imagine how the fans are feeling because I am so excited about it
myself," Lawrence said. "It was brilliant looking at our name come out
in the same group as England." |
 |
|
