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USA Will Open World Cup Against England 18
Posted: December 4, 2009, 3:49 PM ; Updated: December 4, 2009, 4:17 PM
CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) -- The United States will face England at the World Cup for the first time since a famous upset 60 years ago, then play Slovenia and Algeria in the first round of next year's tournament.
The U.S. opens against England in Rustenburg on June 12, the teams' first World Cup matchup since the Americans' 1-0 victory at the 1950 tournament in Brazil.
The United States then meets Slovenia at Johannesburg's Ellis Park on June 18 and completes the first round on June 23 against Algeria in Pretoria. The U.S. has never played either nation.
"This is the best draw we've ever had in any World Cup,'' said former U.S. forward Eric Wynalda, now an analyst for the Fox Soccer Channel. "No disrespect to England, but this is an ideal group for us.''
Several U.S. players are well known to England because they play in the Premier League, including goalkeeper Tim Howard (Everton), midfielder Clint Dempsey (Fulham), defenders Jonathan Spector (West Ham) and Jay DeMerit (Watford) and forward Jozy Altidore (Hull). U.S. captain Carlos Bocanegra played for Fulham.
"It will be like a Premier League game,'' Fulham manager Roy Hodgson said. "The USA is like a team you meet every week. It's better than meeting North Korea and a style of play you're not used to.''
The game could feature a matchup of Los Angeles Galaxy teammates Landon Donovan playing for the U.S. against England midfielder David Beckham. Donovan shrugged his shoulders when the U.S. was picked to play England. "It never ends,'' he said - apparent reference to his connection to the English star.
"This is going to be awesome,'' Donovan said. "I can't wait. This is going to be great.''
The U.S. has beaten England twice and lost seven times in nine meetings. The other victory was 2-0 in a 1993 exhibition at Foxborough, Mass. In the most recent matchups, England won 2-1 at Chicago's Solider Field in 2005 and 2-0 at Wembley last year.
The only official match between the teams was at the 1950 World Cup.
"It's a tough game,'' former England manager Terry Venables said. "They will be very well organized and very fit. They won't outplay us but they could out-strength us.
"They won't give in until the last but we do have a bit more.''
Mexico was drawn Friday to meet South Africa in the tournament opener on June 11 in Johannesburg. El Tri then plays France and Uruguay in Group A.
Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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18 Comments
no way usa is going to get far, maybe they will get out of groups but no more, usa won against spain due to a fluke, spain took them too litely thus the loss. usa wins through luck and cheats, they play too dirty like if it was a game of american football.
I really love it that we are going to be close. I LOVE SOCCER!!! But after what happened to Beckham I'm alittle scared =(
usa is going to loose against england.... the usa won against spain because a fluke, spain didn't take them seriusly. they lost to mexico 5-0 than again 2-1, lately they lost to honduras!!!!!! no way they can beat england.
I think it's amazing that we and England are going to open the cup because almost always for the past 4 world cups, GERMANY opens the cup against another random team. I like Germany better as a team than the U.S.A. Call me what you like but I like Germany the best because they actually have a SHOT AT WINNING!!!
My Family is getting a new flat screen lcd tv for the world cup
Landon Donavan and Tim Howard together will destroy Rooney and England if we can beat spain we can beat any team in the world (except Brazil)
In the last world cup in 06 we didn't do all that well
Group G is going to be awesome. They have Brazil, Portugal, Ivory Coast and North Korea. Well, besides North Korea, Group G is going to be fun to watch.
OMG that is going to be an amazing group. I think in 1 game brazil is going to get more than 5 goals!
we will kill.
ace bro 48 that is much better to say because like you said well get a lot of red cards and then well have like no players for the next 3 matches (Because in the rules it says if a player gets a red card he/she will be "out" of the next 3 matches) and then we'll be surely be kicked out of the world cup and then wait another 4 years.
That would be bad, we'd get a load of red cards. Let's just say, "We will dominate."
This should be an interesting group. But no one can stop RONEY! He is on fire expect England to be first in this group undefeated and then america only losing to England. Also group E & G are hard to win put something up about those as well. I KNOW MY SOCCER DO NOT DOUBT ME
Easy for America and England. Here are my predictions
1 England
2 America
3 Slovenia
4 Algeria
Let me edit for you.
1 America
2 England
3 Slovenia
4 Algeria
Easy for USA and England
standings predictions
1 England
2 USA
3 Slovenia
4 Algeria
This will be easy for England and the USA they will be the two teams that go through
Here are my standings
1 England
2 USA
3 Slovenia
4 Algeria
I'm not thinking so. England is traditionally better, but the US beat them on their road to the Confederations Cup final, which they barely lost to Brazil. The US is a world power now. Someone not to be taken lightly.