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| Tuesday, February 12, 2002 18:26 EST |
Americans anxious to measure up against Italy
[Associated Press]
CATANIA, Sicily -- Bruce Arena hopes his U.S. soccer team's
exhibition game against Italy is a dress rehearsal for the real
thing -- a second-round matchup in the World Cup.
While Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni plans to field some new
faces, Arena sees Wednesday night's game as another opportunity for
a step on the climb back from the team's last-place finish at the
1998 World Cup in France.
"It's always a positive experience to measure ourselves with
teams of this caliber," the U.S. coach said Tuesday, a day before
his team's game against the three-time World Cup champions.
Italy will be one of the favorites heading to this summer's
World Cup in Japan and South Korea, while the U.S. team is hoping
to get past the first round.
That could set up a match with Italy. The team that wins Italy's
first-round World Cup group will play the second-place finisher in
the Americans' group, and vice versa.
"It would be a nice problem to have. It's not that I want to
play them, but it means accomplishing great things," Arena said on
the sun-baked terrace of his hotel beside the Mediterranean Sea.
This trip marks the U.S. team's first trip to Europe since the
Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
"We feel much stronger about our country," Arena said. "We
play with more pride."
Trapattoni is expected to start such stars as forwards Christian
Vieri, Alessandro Del Piero and Francesco Totti. Several newcomers
to the national team -- Marco Di Vaio, Massimo Marazzina and
Antonino Asta -- should see playing time.
Di Vaio is tied for the Italian League lead with 15 goals.
Marazzina, a forward for Chievo, has scored 12 goals, helping his
club climb to fourth place in the standings in just its first
season in the league. Asta, a midfielder with Torino, will be
making his debut with the national team at age 31.
"The important period begins now. This game will serve to weigh
the alternatives," Trapattoni said.
Arena said he's most worried about Vieri but doesn't plan to use
man-to-man defense on him.
"Del Piero is always dangerous, and Totti has a different
look," Arena said.
Arena has a nearly full-strength roster. Among the missing are
Brian McBride, the scoring star at the recent CONCACAF Gold Cup
tournament. He's getting married this week.
Brad Friedel will probably start ahead of Kasey Keller in goal,
according to Arena, who also plans to start 19-year-old forward
Landon Donovan.
"Whether he plays a little or a lot depends on how the game
goes," Arena said.
Taking extraordinary security measures, Italian authorities have
assigned 500 policemen to guard Cibali Stadium, which has a 22,000
seating capacity. Only ticket holders and residents will be allowed
near the stadium. Police were also stationed outside and in the
corridors of the U.S. team's hotel.
The United States has scheduled a big slate of World Cup warmup
matches to bring together players who are spread out across the
United States and Europe.
In the coming weeks, the U.S. team will play Honduras, Ecuador,
Germany, Ireland, Uruguay, Jamaica and the Netherlands. The United
States opens World Cup play June 5 against Portugal.
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