» 01.31.03 - Special Autographed On-Field Seats Now Available for U.S.-Japan Match in Seattle: CHICAGO (Friday, January 31, 2003) — When the U.S. Men's National Team returns to Seattle to face Japan on Saturday, March 29 at Seattle Seahawks Stadium, a limited number of lucky fans will have an opportunity to purchase special on-field seats that will be placed just five yards from the game action.

The 100 true field-level seats are available now for $150 and in addition to including a unique chance to be just feet from the world-class soccer action, fans get to keep the commemorative chair, which will be autographed by U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Bruce Arena. Arena, who recently signed a contract extension through the 2006 World Cup, is the all-time winningest coach in Men’s National Team history with a 33-18-14 international record.

Over 6,500 tickets have already been sold for the USA-Japan match, which marks the team’s return to Seattle after packing over 38,000 fans into Safeco Field on March 2, 2002 for a 4-0 win over Honduras.

Tickets are now available throughout Washington, Oregon and British Columbia via all Ticketmaster outlets and by phone (Seattle: 206-628-0888; Tacoma: 253-627-8497). Beyond the on-field seating, ticket prices range from $20 to $70 and are also available at the Seahawks Stadium ticket office and online at www.ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can order through U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1290 [Click here for complete ticket information].

The U.S. MNT roster will likely include 2002 World Cup stars like 20-year-old scoring sensation Landon Donovan, forward Clint Mathis, and midfielders DaMarcus Beasley and Pablo Mastroeni, who all helped the USA to a best ever eighth place finish at the world’s largest sporting event last summer in Korea and Japan.

The U.S. Men's National Team is coming off the most successful year in its 86-year history, having advanced to the 2002 World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in over 70 years and posting an 11-6-2 (W-L-T) record in 2002. Coming off its World Cup success, the USA climbed all the way to the #8 spot in the FIFA World Rankings.

Featuring a new core of players mixed in with several World Cup veterans, the young U.S. squad dismantled Canada 4-0 in Ft. Lauderdale in their 2003 opener on Jan. 18. The U.S. next faces a tough test in two-time world champion Argentina, who they meet at the Orange Bowl in Miami on Saturday, Feb. 8, live at 8:55 a.m. PT on ESPN2.

The USA and Japan have met only one time at the senior international level, with Japan capturing a 3-1 victory on March 14, 1993 in Tokyo. The clash with Japan will be the first international soccer match hosted by the newly minted Seattle Seahawks Stadium. The game kicks off at 1 p.m. PT, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2. Fans can also follow the action live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics. From UsSoccer.com.

» 01.31.03 - Donovan meets match: Redlands native calls relationship with actress Bianca Kajlich 'very serious'. (By PAUL OBERJUERGE, Sports Editor)

It isn't a World Cup year, but Landon Donovan has some big dates coming up with the national soccer team, with his club team and with actress girlfriend Bianca Kajlich.

Donovan, the 20-year-old Redlands native, continues to make almost as much news off the field as on it. He currently is featured, with a coy Kajlich hovering over his shoulder in a full-page photo, in a Valentine's Day feature in the current edition of Glamour magazine.

"We're very serious,' Donovan said Thursday from Bradenton, Fla., where the national team is training for a pair of upcoming matches. "I don't know if we'll get married, but she's a good girl.'

Donovan's seven-month romance with Kajlich, 25, who appeared in the most recent "Halloween' movie and on the network series "Dawson's Creek' and "Boston Public,' seems to carry him to another level of celebrity.

While it is common in much of the world for soccer stars to be paired romantically with prominent entertainers (witness English star Davie Beckham and pop star Posh Spice), it is less so in the United States. But, then, much is changing since Donovan and the U.S. soccer team reached the quarterfinals of the World Cup in South Korea last June.

Donovan has been a magazine staple, from the cover of Sports Illustrated to GQ and the New York Times Magazine. And now in Glamour, with Kajlich.

"It's about time,' said Carie Goldberg, a manager at SportsNet LLC, which represents Donovan. "For so long the athletes that were focused on in fashion were football players. It's great to see that soccer is more mainstream, and they have a value. We're happy Landon is leading the charge, that they're getting more commercial exposure. I think it's great for the sport.'

Donovan seems pleased on a personal level. In the Glamour bit he says "Bianca is the screensaver on my laptop' and "I read that Bianca thinks Calvin Klein boxer briefs are sexy, so I bought some.'

For her part, Kajlich (pronounced KY-lick) says "I check Landon out when he's not looking. I can't get over his hot body,' and "When I'm out of town, I surf the Web to find sexy pictures of Landon.'

Donovan and Kajlich are each clients of the publicity firm of Bragman, Nyman, Cafarelli, Goldberg said, and that is how they met. Their first date was at the ESPY awards show in July, Donovan said.

Donovan said he has visited Kajlich on various TV sets and been impressed and puzzled with the length of time it takes to accomplish anything. "They need an hour to shoot 15 seconds,' he said.

Goldberg said the two make a compelling couple.

"They're both just very down-to-earth, normal people,' she said. 'They're both pursuing what their passion is. For him it's soccer, for her it's acting.'

Donovan and Kajlich will be apart for at least a month as Donovan trains with the national team for its Feb. 8 match with Argentina and Feb. 12 date with Jamaica, then goes to Spain on Feb. 14 with his club team, the San Jose Earthquakes, for an exhibition tour. "When we get time together, we make the most of it,' he said of his time with Kajlich.

His Major League Soccer season opens April 13.

Donovan is one of four World Cup veterans in camp, and his status has changed markedly from a year ago, when he was the teenager scrapping for a spot in the World Cup.

Now, he is a veteran of 30 national matches, a been-there, done-that guy expected to provide leadership among the new faces coach Bruce Arena is working through as potential players on the 2006 World Cup team.

"It's pretty cool, because at the end of the day I'm still 20, and these guys have been around, just maybe not on the national level,' Donovan said. "As a player, it's better when things are more stable. A year ago, I had no idea what my chances were. I understand you aren't just given a (roster) spot, but last year I had to win a spot, and this is a better feeling.'

Donovan proved himself in 2002. He was the only Yank to play in all 19 of the national team's matches, and finished second in scoring (to Clint Mathis) with six goals. He scored two goals in the World Cup, including the clincher in a 2-0 victory over Mexico that lifted the Americans to the quarterfinals for the first time since 1930.

He has offseason arthroscopic surgery on his right ankle "to clean up stuff,' and it remains tender, but he is off to a fast start in 2003; he was named "man of the match' after notching two assists in a 4-0 victory over Canada on Jan. 18.

Even though Donovan's visibility among non-soccer fans continues to perk, it is on the field that he wants to be remembered. "The good thing is, I'm still motivated,' Donovan said. "I'm still having fun. The reason I got into this, when I was little, was because of soccer.' From SBSun.com.

» 01.24.03 - Arena Names 23-Man Roster to Train For Matches Against Argentina and Jamaica: CHICAGO (Wednesday, January 22, 2003) — U.S. Men's National Team manager Bruce Arena has chosen a 23-man roster that will train in preparation for the pair of upcoming games against Argentina and Jamaica. The U.S. will host two-time World Cup champion Argentina on Feb. 8 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla., at 12 p.m. ET live on ESPN2 and Radio Unica, before travelling south to face Jamaica just four days later at the National Stadium in Kingston at 7 p.m. ET. Both games can be followed live on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics.

The domestic-based roster will resume training Jan. 26 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. The team moves to Ft. Lauderdale on Feb. 6, and departs for Jamaica four days later.

"We have opened 2003 in solid fashion, and now face two formidable opponents in Argentina and Jamaica,” said Arena. “The exposure of playing two strong teams in different environments provides an excellent challenge for our players, and adds seasoning to a group that is preparing for two major tournaments this summer.”

The roster mirrors the team that traveled to South Florida for the USA’s 4-0 win against Canada on Jan. 18 at Lockhart Stadium. Five players from the U.S. World Cup side will participate in camp, led by the attacking duo of Clint Mathis and Landon Donovan. Mathis, who scored a goal against Canada while serving as team captain, has amassed an impressive 30 points in just 27 appearances and moved into the top 10 all-time U.S. MNT scoring list. Donovan, who at age 20 has already collected 30 caps for the United States, earned Chevrolet Man of the Match honors in Ft. Lauderdale by recording two assists. Along with Argentine-born midfielder Pablo Mastroeni and DaMarcus Beasley, veteran defender Eddie Pope appears set to return to full national team duty after attending the January training camp for rehabilitation on his right knee.

Five players from the 2002 MLS Best XI – Carlos Bocanegra, Jeff Cunningham, Tim Howard, Steve Ralston, and Taylor Twellman – are also on the roster. Bocanegra and Ralston, along with Wizards midfielder Chris Klein, registered their first international goals against Canada, each in their eighth appearance for the national team.

The Los Angeles Galaxy makes the largest contribution to the roster, sending four players to Bradenton. Galaxy defenders Danny Califf and Sasha Victorine have been starters in the U.S. backline for two straight matches. Tim Howard leads the goalkeeping corps, the Metros ‘keeper still having never been scored upon in three matches for the senior national team.

The United States holds a 2-4-0 lifetime record against Argentina, who are currently ranked fifth in the FIFA World Rankings. The teams last met June 13, 1999 in Washington, D.C., when a Joe-Max Moore goal lifted the United States a 1-0 victory and their second straight win against their South American neighbors. The U.S has never lost to Jamaica, holding a 7-0-5 record against the Reggae Boyz. Despite the unbeaten record, the USA has only one victory in five matches at "The Office" in Kingston, dating back more than eight years.

Advance tickets for the Argentina match ranging in price levels from $15 to $35 are on sale now at all South Florida Ticketmaster outlets (including FYE, Spec’s Music and Ricky’s Records), by phone (Ft. Lauderdale 954-523-3309; Miami 305-358-5885; West Palm Beach 561-966-3309) and online at www.ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can order immediately through U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1290 [Complete ticket information is available here].

The USA is continuing its preparation for participation in two major tournaments this summer. Eight teams from around the world, led by 2002 World Cup champions Brazil, will compete for the FIFA Confederations Cup championship from June 18-29 in France. The USA will then look to defend its confederation championship in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup to be held from July 12-27 in the United States.

Goalkeepers: Kevin Hartman (Los Angeles), Tim Howard (MetroStars), Nick Rimando (D.C. United)

Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago), Danny Califf (Los Angeles), Brian Dunseth (Columbus), Nick Garcia (Kansas City), Chad McCarty (Columbus), Eddie Pope (DC United), Ryan Suarez (Dallas), Sasha Victorine (Los Angeles)

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Chicago Fire), Bobby Convey (DC United), Chris Klein (Kansas City), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado), Richard Mulrooney (San Jose), Ben Olsen (DC United), Steve Ralston (New England), Pete Vagenas (Los Angeles)

Forwards: Jeff Cunningham (Columbus), Landon Donovan (San Jose), Clint Mathis (MetroStars), Taylor Twellman (New England)

From USSoccer.com.

» 01.24.03 - Donovan hangs with BC soccer players: Tuesday, January 21, 2003; It's not every day you find a world-class soccer player shooting hoops with a bunch of high school kids.

Then again, not every soccer player is like Landon Donovan, the 20-year-old U.S. national team midfielder who has already appeared on David Letterman and the Today Show.

Donovan was in Naples to speak to Barron Collier boys and girls soccer teams Sunday night at Veterans Park. His message was simple: play hard and have fun.

Afterward, he joined some Cougars players for a pickup basketball game.

"I've never had that controlling parent or felt like the game was a burden," said Donovan, who signed a professional contract with Germany's Bayer Leverkusen when he was 17. "That breeds success and that's important, realizing that it's just a game."

The speaking engagement was set up by Barron Collier boys soccer coach Mark Wilkinson, who was contacted by Donovan's father on a Web site.

The U.S. National team played Saturday night in Fort Lauderdale and beat Canada 4-0.

"It was close by, and I figured whatever I could do to help the sport of soccer, it was worth it," Donovan said.

Donovan, a midfielder/ forward, gained national attention in part due to his inspired play (he drew the penalty against Jamaica that helped the U.S. clinch its 2002 World Cup appearance) and in part due to his teen idol looks. An Ontario, Calif., native, Donovan is currently playing close to home in the MLS with the San Jose Earthquakes.

He talked to the Barron Collier players about his World Cup experiences and the grueling practices with both Bayer and the U.S. National team.

Team USA lost to Germany in the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup last June, and Donovan is expected to be the centerpiece for future national teams.

"You always want to get better each time," Donovan said.

"It's hard. We have to worry about qualifying for the tournament first, then go from there."

Barron Collier players were impressed with not just what Donovan had to say, but with how he acted around them.

"It's amazing," Cougars senior midfielder Dustin Kahler said.

"You see him all over the newspapers and TV, he's the idol of American soccer right now. Yet with us, he was really down to earth and just wanted to hang out." From NaplesNews.com.

» 01.20.03 - Post-Match Quote Sheet: U.S. Men vs. Canada:

U.S. Manager BRUCE ARENA
General Comments:
“I think tonight’s game was a good start for us. Although we had a 3-0 goal at half, I thought we were a bit sloppy. We did better in the second half. The field conditions were difficult. It was the first time out this year for both teams, so it certainly wasn’t perfect. It’s good to get our group back together and start building for qualifying in 2004. For the first game of the new year, I rate it as a good performance.”

On which U.S. players stood out in tonight’s match:
“I thought our two center backs played well. This is their second time together. Califf doesn't have the opportunity to play this way with the Galaxy, so I was pleased. I thought Convey had a good game at left back. He’s a kid who has the potential to play there, so we wanted to give him a look.”

On the play of Chris Klein, who scored his first international goal:
“Chris has gotten better each time he’s been in with the national team. He’s been pretty fit. We’re still working on him putting in some better crosses at times, but he’s grown as a player. It’s good to see the way he’s come back after the knee injury in 2001. I think he’s doing pretty well.”

On the play of Steve Ralston, also a first-time goal scorer:
“Steve is a good player. He had a real good camp this week. We had five injuries this week, and he was one of them. I’ve been very impressed with him over the last two weeks. He’s a quality player, and I think we need to give him a stronger look than we have in the past.”

On whether there will be changes in the roster for the Argentina and Jamaica friendlies:
“Maybe a couple players for Argentina, and few more for Jamaica since it is an international fixture date and we have the possibility of bringing in European based players. Our next camp we anticipate that Eddie Pope will be able to start training. He came into the last camp and made progress, so we’re hopeful he’s going to be able to participate when we regroup on Jan. 26 in Bradenton.”

U.S. forward and captain CLINT MATHIS

On opening the year with a solid victory:
“It was a great start to a new year. We’re moving on to the next year. We’re going to have a busy year playing some big times, and this is a good way to get the younger guys a new taste who haven’t had that much experience. It’s a good win. Now we have to continue to work harder and get ready for Argentina on Feb. 8 in Miami.”

On his increased responsibility with the national team:
“I’m looking forward to it. I think it started a little bit last year after the World Cup, and now with Bruce giving me the armband, I think it’s only going to better my career. I definitely feel rejuvenated. I’m more focused now.”

U.S. midfielder and Chevrolet Man of the Match LANDON DONOVAN

On assessing the team’s performance in the first game of 2003:
“Not bad. It’s hard to gauge from the game. I think a more telling factor is practice. It’s been great the last two weeks, and super competitive. I think guys saw the success we had in the World Cup and they want to be a part of that next time around. It’s exciting to get back into it.”

On facing Argentina on Feb. 8 in the Orange Bowl:
“Obviously you don’t beat Canada 4-0 and expect you are going to do the same with Argentina. I think some guys started to get tired at the end of the game, so I think fitness will be an issue. Regardless of who they bring, it’s going to be a different story.”

U.S. midfielder CHRIS KLEIN

Describing the goal:
“Jeff Cunningham did a good job taking three guys on. Really, the ball just bounced my way, and I was fortunate to get on the end of it. I went one-on-one with the goal and put it right under him. I was just thankful to get it in.”

On scoring his first goal with the national team after eight appearances and recovering from knee surgery:
“It feels great. I feel a lot more comfortable each time I’m in with the national team. I really feel healthy, so it’s good to finally get a goal.”

U.S. defender CARLOS BOCANEGRA

On his first career goal with the U.S. National Team:
“What we usually do is have me or Danny Califf run to the near post space where I got the header. I just got lucky that Bobby Convey whipped me a good ball. I don’t even think they marked me. I was wide open.“

From USSoccer.com.

» 01.20.03 - U.S. Men Down Canada 4-0 to Open 2003 in Style: FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. (January 18, 2003) - The U.S. Men's National Team thumped Canada 4-0 at Lockhart Stadium this evening to open their 2003 campaign in impressive fashion. Landon Donovan had two assists in earning Chevrolet Man of the Match honors.

"We took them out of the game early, and that is what you want to do," said Donovan after the match. "We have a lot of good young players on this team and they did well. Ben Olsen is back and playing very well, so that helps us, and Bobby (Convey) did a great job doing what he had to to be on the field and contribute."

The U.S. jumped out to a 3-0 first-half lead behind the first international goal of defender Carlos Bocanegra's career (coming on a corner kick from Convey in the 7th minute) and goals just 51 seconds apart from Clint Mathis and Chris Klein in the 31st and 32nd minutes, respectively.

Mathis' goal came on a nifty diagonal through ball from Donovan for the 11th strike of his international career. Along with his eight career assists, the 26-year-old striker has amassed an impressive 30 points in just 27 appearances and moved into the top 10 all-time U.S. MNT scoring list.

For Klein, appearing in his eighth match for the U.S., the goal was his first in international play. Jeff Cunningham earned the assist on Klein's tally after attracting three Canadian defenders to himself on a dribbling run toward the edge of the box, and then somehow slipping the ball into empty space at the top of the penalty area for the unmarked Klein to easily slot past Canadian goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld.

The final U.S. goal began with a build-up on the left side from second-half substitutes Steve Ralston and Ben Olsen, with the ball eventually finding its way to Donovan in the right side of the box. The 20-year-old forward sent a perfect ball across the goalmouth and behind the Canadian defense to an unmarked Ralston crashing in on the goal. Ralston easily roofed his shot from five yards out, with Olsen right behind him also awaiting the pass.

Convey lined up as left back for the U.S. alongside Dan Califf, Carlos Bocanegra and Sasha Victorine, marking the first time that the recently anointed 2002 Chevy Young Male Athlete of the Year had ever started a professional or international game on defense.

The victory for the U.S. improved their lifetime record against Canada to 10-8-8 dating all the way back to 1925. In more recent match-ups, though, the U.S. 6-0-4 in their last 10 games against their northern neighbors, recording eight shutouts in their last nine meetings. The four-goal outburst marked the first time the U.S. had scored as many as four goals against Canada since back-to-back 6-1 victories in 1925 and 1926.

The U.S. Men’s National Team resumes training camp on January 26 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton in preparation for a pair of upcoming friendlies. The U.S. will host two-time World Cup champion Argentina on Feb. 8 at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Fla., at 12 p.m. ET live on ESPN2 before travelling south to face Jamaica just four days later at the National Stadium in Kingston at 2:30 p.m. ET. Both games can be followed live on ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, brought to you by Philips Electronics.

The USA is continuing its preparation for participation in two major tournaments this summer. Eight teams from the around the world, led by 2002 World Cup champions Brazil, will compete for the FIFA Confederations Cup championship from June 18-29 in France. The USA will then look to defend its confederation championship in the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup to be held from July 12-27 in the United States.

USA-CANADA GAME REPORT

Match-up: USA vs. Canada
Date: January 18, 2003 Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Lockhart Stadium - Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET
Attendance: 6,549
Weather: 52 degrees; chilly, clear

SCORING SUMMARY:
1st Half: USA 3, Canada 0
2nd Half: USA 1, Canada 0
Final: USA 4, Canada 0

USA - Carlos Bocanegra (Bobby Convey) 7th minute.
USA - Clint Mathis (Landon Donovan) 31.
USA - Chris Klein (Jeff Cunningham) 32.
USA - Steve Ralston (Landon Donovan) 61.

LINE-UPS:
USA - 18-Tim Howard (24-Nick Rimando, 46); 15-Bobby Convey (15-Pete Vagenas, 68), 4-Carlos Bocanegra, 2-Dan Califf, 12-Sasha Victorine (3-Nick Garcia, 77); 25-Pablo Mastroeni (8-Richard Mulrooney, 36), 7-DaMarcus Beasley, 17-Chris Klein (13-Steve Ralston, 46), 21-Landon Donovan; 9-Clint Mathis (Capt.) (11-Taylor Twellman, 68), 20-Jeff Cunningham (14-Ben Olsen, 46) Subs not used: None.

CAN - 1-Lars Hirschfeld; 3-Carl Fletcher, 4-Tony Menezes; 5-Richard Hastings, 6-Chris Pozniak, 7-Atiba Hutchinson, 8-Daniel Imhof, 2-Tam Nsawila, 9-Sita-Taty Matondo (15-Chris Williams, 68); 10-David Xausa (16-Rob Friend, 62), 11-Maycoll Canizalez. Subs not used: 22-Pat Onstad, 12-Kevin Harmse, 13-Marco Reda, 14-Winston Marshall

STAT SUMMARY: USA: Shots 11, Saves 4, Corner Kicks 5, Fouls 15, Offside 2
CAN: Shots 9, Saves 3, Corner Kicks 6, Fouls 20, Offside 7

MISCONDUCT SUMMARY:
CAN - Atiba Hutchinson (caution) 50th minute.

OFFICIALS:
Referee: Rodolfo Sibrian (SLV)
Senior Assistant Referee: Mr. Vladimir Fernandez (SLV)
Junior Assistant Referee: Mr. Gilberto Gonzalez (SLV)
Fourth Official: Mr. Ali Saheli (USA)

From USSoccer.com.

» 01.17.03 - U.S. SOCCER: Arena’s men face Canada in friendly on Saturday : The USA plays it first game of 2003 tomorrow in Ft. Lauderdale, where Bruce Arena's squad faces Canada in a friendly at Lockhart Stadium.

The 7:30 pm ET game is available to DirectTV subscribers for $19.95 (1-800-531-5000).

The North American neighbors last met in the 2002 Gold Cup semifinals, a 0-0 tie in which the Americans prevailed in a penalty-kick shootout.

In 25 meetings dating back to 1925, the USA has won 9, lost 8 and the teams have tied 8 times. But the USA is undefeated against the Canadians since 1985, with five wins and four ties.

USA Roster:
Goalkeepers: Joe Cannon (San Jose, 0 caps, 0 goals), Kevin Hartman (Los Angeles, 1, 0), Tim Howard (MetroStars, 2, 0), Nick Rimando (D.C. United, 1, 0).

Defenders: Wade Barrett (San Jose, 1, 0), Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago, 7, 0), Danny Califf (Los Angeles, 2, 0), Brian Dunseth (Columbus, 0, 0), Nick Garcia (Kansas City, 0, 0), Cory Gibbs (St. Pauli/Germany II, 0, 0), Chad McCarty (Columbus, 0, 0), Eddie Pope (MetroStars, 55, 5), Ryan Suarez (Dallas, 0, 0), Sasha Victorine (Los Angeles, 2, 1).

Midfielders: DaMarcus Beasley (Chicago, 15, 3), Bobby Convey (D.C. United, 3, 0), Chris Klein (Kansas City, 7, 0), Kyle Martino (Columbus, 1, 0), Pablo Mastroeni (Colorado, 14, 0), Richard Mulrooney (San Jose, 4, 0), Ben Olsen (D.C. United, 20, 4), Steve Ralston (New England, 7, 0), Pete Vagenas (Los Angeles, 1, 0).

Forwards: Jeff Cunningham (Columbus, 5, 0), Landon Donovan (San Jose, 29, 7), Clint Mathis (MetroStars, 26, 10), Taylor Twellman (New England, 1, 0).

CANADA ROSTER:
Goalkeepers -- Lars Hirschfeld (age 24, Tottenham/ENG, 9 games/0 goals); Pat Onstad (35, Rochester Rhinos, 34/15).

Defenders -- Paul Fenwick (33, Hibernian/SCO, 26/0); Carl Fletcher (31, Atlanta Silverbacks, 36/2); Marco Reda (25, Sogndal/NOR, 0/0); Tony Menezes (28, Ganzu Nongken/CHN, 26/0); Kevin Harmse (18, ICSF Inter, 0/0); Atiba Hutchinson (19, Oesters/SWE, 0/0).

Midfielders -- Chris Pozniak (21, Oerebro/SWE, 4/0); Richard Hastings (25, Graz AK/AUT, 27/1); Tam Nsaliwa (20, Saarbruecken/GER, 8/0); Daniel Imhof (25, St. Gallen/SUI, 12/0).

Forwards -- Julian de Guzman (21, Hannover/GER, 4/0); Davide Xausa (Livingston/SCO, 31/2); Dwayne de Rosario (24, San Jose Earthquakes, 6/2) From SoccerAmerica.com.

» 01.17.03 - U.S. team goes with youth against Canada: FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) -- U.S. coach Bruce Arena has turned to youth for his team's first game of the year.

Three players could make their national team debuts Saturday night against Canada, and 11 others on the U.S. roster have fewer than five international appearances.

``It's basically a starting point for evaluating new pool of players,'' Arena said. ``You want to give some new players some opportunities and see how they respond. I imagine our average age on the team will be 23 years old.''

The United States was 13-6-1 last year, setting a national record for victories and advancing to the quarterfinals of the World Cup, the best showing by the Americans since the first tournament in 1930. Arena was rewarded with a new four-year contract in December.

To start preparations for the 2006 World Cup, Arena will use this year mostly to assess young talent. The highlights of the American schedule are the FIFA Confederations Cup in June and July's CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of North and Central America and the Caribbean.

The most experienced player on the roster for the Canada game is 20- year-old forward Landon Donovan, who has 29 international appearances.

``The reason I think that this team succeeded is that they had young people like us nipping at them all the time, trying to take their spots, and it makes them better players,'' Donovan said. ``I hope they come up and give me a scare, too. It's good for us.''

Donovan joked that he was sporting new facial hair to appear older.

``That's why I'm growing the beard -- for maturity purposes,'' he laughed.

World Cup veteran Pablo Mastroeni feels like a grizzled veteran.

``For people of a certain age, like myself or Clint Mathis, it's a matter of what you have to take away from your lifestyle in order to better your professional life,'' Mastroeni said. ``I'm 26 now, I've got to exercise every day and take care of what I eat. I can't go out like Donovan and eat a Big Mac every day.''

DaMarcus Beasley, 20, is happy to be gaining some seniority.

``Not being the youngest guy anymore feels pretty good,'' he said. ``But it doesn't matter if you're a young player. What coach does is throw you in the pond and he'll see if you can swim.''

The U.S. won't be the only team featuring young players. Canada also will be without some of its players, who are with clubs in Europe.

Canada coach Holger Osiek called in four players from a youth camp in Mexico to fill in for injured players and for Paul Fenwick, who has food poisoning.

The Canadians, who haven't beaten the United States in 17 years, will try to erase memories of their last meeting with the United States -- a loss in penalty kicks in the semifinals of the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup. From AP.org.

» 01.17.03 - U.S. to meet Canada in 2003 opener: MIAMI (Ticker) -- The United States national soccer team gets its 2003 slate underway Saturday night when they host longtime rival Canada at Lockhart Stadium.

The United States continues to rebuild following their quarterfinals appearance at the 2002 World Cup. Saturday's squad features a team filled exclusively with players from Major League Soccer.

While admitting it is still early in the process, U.S. coach Bruce Arena concedes he is looking for defenders. He also expects a lot of work ahead.

"Obviously we need new blood in the national team so giving this group a competitive game is important, says Arena. "I want to see how we do. It's a major opportunity and a challenge for many of these guys to show they can play at this level. I need to see how they will respond.

"There are no definites at this point and it can be like a revolving door at times. We need to look at a number of players and evaluate them in a number of ways. There really isn't any predictable pace or any one area to focus on yet. It's never going to be easy, but I do think it will be easier for me than it was back in January of 1999, the first time through."

One move that Arena seems certain to make, is switching Bobby Convey to left back from midfield. On Friday, Convey was named U.S. Soccer's Young Male Athlete of the Year.

"I just want to be on the field somewhere," Convey said. "I'll play wherever (Bruce) wants me. I would like to play midfield, but we'll see what happens. One thing about the game today is that the outside backs have the ball at lot more than they used to."

Canada, which is also in a rebuilding phase after failing to qualify for World Cup , will field a lineup thinned by injury.

Featuring goalkeeper Lars Hirschfeld - the backup to the USA's Kasey Keller on Premiership club Tottenham Hotspur - Canada is expected to pack it in and play off the counter. Key forward Dwayne DeRosario is a scratch after fracturing his ankle Thursday and Tomas Radzinski, the team's usual frontrunner, is unavailable because of his European commitments to Everton.

Despite the long rivalry and Canada's hard-nosed style of play, the U.S. is the favorite Saturday.

"We are expected to win games like (Saturday) night, so that's different from before the World Cup," U.S. forward Landon Donovan said. "But it's motivating, a different type of pressure. It's something we need in order to get better." From CNNSI.com.

» 01.17.03 - U.S. men open exhibition play with matchup against Canada: The USA vs. Canada might not be a marquee tilt as far as international soccer matchups go, but that is unimportant to U.S. coach Bruce Arena.

The unprecedented quarterfinals appearance in the 2002 World Cup perhaps is fresh in the minds of U.S. players and fans alike, but the 2003 campaign for a new-look team opens Saturday against their northern neighbors at Lockhart Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET, pay-per-view) in Fort Lauderdale.

The U.S. team will play a string of exhibitions in preparation for two tournaments this summer, and with only a handful of holdovers from the World Cup squad on the roster, the door is open for unproven players to impress.

"The soccer things are coming together slowly," says Arena, who opened the first camp of the year in Bradenton, Fla., on Jan. 4, before making the three-hour trek to Fort Lauderdale on Thursday. "The players have been off for a while."

DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan, Clint Mathis, Pablo Mastroeni and Eddie Pope are the only World Cup veterans on the roster as Arena assesses his domestically based talent.

"We're just trying to get comfortable with each other," MetroStars goalkeeper Tim Howard says. "It's going to be good to get out and beat up on someone other than ourselves."

Minor injuries have slowed forward Taylor Twellman (mild concussion) and midfielders Ben Olsen (groin strain) and Steve Ralston (quadriceps strain), but no one has been ruled out for the weekend.

The USA faces Argentina (Feb. 8 in Miami), Jamaica (Feb. 12 in Kingston, Jamaica), Japan (March 29 in Seattle) and games are likely with Mexico and Portugal. From USAToday.com.

» 01.10.03 - HOME GAMES: DaMarcus Beasley and Landon Donovan have discovered the magic elixir to keep soccer's popularity surging in the United States: keep winning.

"It is all about results, especially with soccer," Beasley said from IMG Academy Park, where the U.S. Men's National Team is training for an international friendly on Jan. 18 against Canada in Fort Lauderdale. "You can't lose and expect that people will still love you."

Donovan felt the love after the U.S. team's quarterfinal showing at the 2002 World Cup. He appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated, traded quips with David Letterman and received endorsement offers from Gatorade and Chiquita to go with his sponsorship deals with Nike and EA Sports.

But the dynamic midfielder-striker understands how quickly the acclaim and recognition can vanish in a country dominated by football, basketball and baseball.

"It's a different challenge now. It's dealing with pressure and living up to it," said Donovan, a member of Major League Soccer's San Jose Earthquakes.

"America is all about winners. Going into the next World Cup (2006 in Germany), I think we're going to have a lot of support, but if we don't keep doing well it will fade again."

The biggest challenge facing the 20-year-olds, strange as it might seem, is keeping on top of their games to insure their selection to the 2006 U.S. World Cup team by coach Bruce Arena.

"That's the beauty and the downfall of the national team," Donovan said. "That's good for the people trying to get in. You can be part of it one day and not the next, and you always have to remember your spot is not guaranteed."

Training in Bradenton is nothing new for Chicago Fire midfielder Beasley and Donovan, who lived here as members of the U-17 national team. According to U.S. Soccer spokesman Michael Kammarman, 19 of the 26 national team players have trained here before.

"The facilities are outstanding," Arena said, "and we can't complain about the weather. About 30 percent of the team comes from California, but they don't have any soccer fields there, so this is great.

"You're not going to see the team that was on the field for the World Cup in the next three games, but you are going to see some of those faces," Arena said. "I establish a pool of players and look at them, and the guys I think have shown well, we'll bring back.

"It's an ongoing process of analyzing what you have, and it will go on for 18 months before we begin qualifying again."

After taking today off, the team will train at Academy Park twice a day through Thursday before relocating to Fort Lauderdale.

A week after the Canada match, the team will return to Bradenton to prepare for a Feb. 8 match against Argentina at the Orange Bowl and a Feb. 12 game against Jamaica in Kingston.

The U.S. men will participate in two major tournaments this summer: the FIFA Confederations Cup from June 18-29 in France and the CONCACAF Gold Cup from July 12-23 in the United States. From Bradenton Herald.

» 01.07.03 - Canada Names Roster for U.S. Game: OTTAWA, Ontario- Canadian national team Coach Holger Osieck on Tuesday released the roster which will face the United States in an international friendly on January 18.

An additional player will be announced at a later date. The game will be played at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida with a 7:30 p.m. ET kick-off.

Two players are making their first appearances with the World Cup team. Defender Kevin Harmse (Vancouver's ICSF Inter) was part of the Canadian Men's Youth (U-20) Team which successfully qualified for the upcoming FIFA World Youth Championships in March in the UAE. The other new addition is defender Marco Reda, who recently re-signed with Norwegian side Sogndal. Reda is a former member of the Toronto Lynx and the Canadian Olympic Team.

Defender Tony Menezes returns to the World Cup squad after missing the previous two friendlies against Scotland and Switzerland while playing with Ganzu in China. Menezes has returned to Brazil and is considering his club options for 2003. Carl Fletcher rejoins the team after missing the Scotland game.

A number of players have connections to the U.S. team. Dwayne DeRosario teams with Landon Donovan with the San Jose Earthquakes. Julian de Guzman is a teammate of Americans Steve Cherundolo and Conor Casey at Hannover in the German Bundesliga, Daniel Imhof plays with Frankie Hejduk at Swiss club St. Gallen, Lars Hirschfeld is the understudy to Kasey Keller at Tottenham while Tam Nsaliwa is coached by former U.S. defender Thomas Dooley at Saarbrucken in Germany.

Several players were not available for selection due to the fact the game is not being played on an international date. Striker Tomasz Radzinski of Everton and defender Jim Brennan of Nottingham Forest are among the players who will stay with their club teams in England.

Goalkeepers: Lars Hirschfeld (Tottenham Hotspur), Pat Onstad (Rochester Rhinos)

Defenders: Paul Fenwick (Hibernian), Carl Fletcher (Atlanta Silverbacks), Marco Reda (Sogndal-Norway), Tony Menezes (Ganzu–China), Kevin Harmse (ICSF Inter), Atiba Hutchinson (Osters-Sweden) Chris Pozniak (Orebro-Sweden), Richard Hastings (Graz AK-Austria)

Midfielders: Tam Nsaliwa (Saarbrucken-Germany), Daniel Imhof (St. Gallen-Switzerland), Julian de Guzman (Hannover 96-Germany)

Forwards: Davide Xausa (Livingston-Scotland), Dwayne de Rosario (San Jose)

From USSoccerPlayers.com.

» 01.07.03 - MLS Announces 2003 Schedule: NEW YORK– Dates and matchups for Major League Soccer’s eighth season were announced today by MLS Commissioner Don Garber. Kicking off on Saturday, April 5 and ending on Sunday, October 26, the 2003 schedule places an all-time high 89 percent of the League’s matches on weekends or holidays (July 4). The 30-week regular season also allows for mid-week U.S. Open Cup match dates as well as various international exhibition games featuring MLS teams.

Each of the League’s 10 clubs will play a total of 30 games in 2003, after competing in 28 League regular-season contests during the 2001 and 2002 seasons. Four games (two home, two away) against each Intra-Conference opponent as well as a home-and-home match-up against clubs outside its Conference comprise 26 of the 30 regular-season contests. The remaining four games (two home, two away), are determined based on competitive seeding, according to 2002 regular-season performances.

As announced last month, the 2003 MLS campaign begins with one game on Saturday, April 5, as the League's two trophy-winners from 2002 - the MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles Galaxy and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champion Columbus Crew - face off live on ABC Sports at 4:00 pm ET from Crew Stadium. The League returns to a single-game opening day for the first time since the 1996 and 1997 seasons. The remainder of the League's 2003 National Television Schedule and kickoff times for all 150 regular-season games will be announced in the near future.

Eight of the remaining nine MLS teams will stage their home opener in either of the following two weekends, April 12-19. Due to the June 7 opening of The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., defending MLS Cup Champion Los Angeles begins the season with a League-record eight-game road streak, surpassing the seven consecutive away contests the Columbus Crew played in 1999 prior to the opening of Columbus Crew Stadium.

The Galaxy's new home, a state-of-the-art jewel on the campus of Cal State - Dominguez Hills, will also host Major League Soccer's two marquee events: the 2003 Pepsi MLS All-Star Game (date TBD) and MLS Cup 2003. The eighth MLS title game will be played on Sunday, November 23, at 3:30 p.m. ET and televised live on ABC Sports.

The Galaxy and the Colorado Rapids are the lone teams to host games on Friday, July 4, continuing the enormously successful Independence Day traditions their organizations have built during the first seven MLS seasons. D.C. United, Columbus and San Jose each host games during the holiday weekend, on Saturday, July 5. Defender Eddie Pope and forward Jaime Moreno return to RFK Stadium wearing MetroStars colors in a contest sure to provide fireworks.

Other schedule highlights include Polish midfielder Peter Nowak's return to Chicago as he leads the New England Revolution into Cardinal Stadium on Sunday, April 13; defender Mike Petke's return to the Meadowlands on Saturday, May 10, as D.C. United faces the MetroStars in the first of four Atlantic Cup battles; MetroStars Head Coach Bob Bradley's first visit to Chicago on June 28 against his former Fire team; and San Jose Earthquakes icon Landon Donovan's only appearance in New York on Wednesday, July 2.

The first of three MLS Cup 2002 rematches occurs on Saturday, May 10, at Gillette Stadium, when Carlos Ruiz and the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy challenge the New England Revolution and forward Taylor Twellman, who later make two return trips to Southern California: Friday, July 4 in one of two Independence Day contests, and Saturday, August 23.

By scheduling an all-time high 79 percent of the league’s matches on Saturdays, MLS schedule-makers were able to capitalize on supporters’ desire to attend games on that specific day. In all, MLS will play 89% of its regular season games on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday or a holiday (July 4). From MLSNet.com.

» 01.06.03 - U.S. Men's National Team Opens Training Camp in Florida: THEY'RE OFF: The march towards Germany 2006 took its first step as the U.S. men opened their first training camp of the new year on Saturday, January 4 at the IMG Academy in Bradenton. Under the watchful eye of a newly re-signed head coach Bruce Arena, 26 players shook off the cobwebs of a long winter break with an intense double session. The morning practice began with an extended warm up, before breaking into small-sided games. The afternoon session featured a fitness evaluation that consisted of players running the farthest distance possible in six minutes. Kansas City Wizards defender Nick Garcia took top honors, completing 1820 meters in the allotted time frame. An 11 v. 11 full field scrimmage completed the first day's work. The team is expected to continue twice-a-day sessions for the next several days.

PERSONNEL UPDATE: The original 27-man complement has seen minor alterations since the roster was announced Dec. 23. The Columbus Crew duo of Brian McBride (loan to Everton) and Kyle Martino (injury) were forced to withdraw. Newly acquired MetroStars defender Eddie Pope, coming off minor knee surgery in October, worked out with the trainers and spent the afternoon in the gym. Meantime, Chicago Fire midfielder Chris Armas elected to continue rehabilitation in New York. Tony Sanneh will return to Germany on Jan. 11, shortly after the arrival of defender Cory Gibbs, who makes his first appearance in a Men's National Team training camp beginning Jan. 9.

CURT ONALFO AND PIERRE BARRIEU JOIN U.S. MNT STAFF IN 2003: Bruce Arena has made two additions to the national team staff since the departure of long-time assistant Dave Sarachan. In addition to Glenn Myernick, Arena has selected former D.C. United defender and assistant coach Curt Onalfo to serve on the national team staff. Onalfo, 33, has served the past three seasons as assistant coach for United. In a nine-year professional career, Onalfo reached the MLS Cup final with the Los Angeles Galaxy in 1996, and was part of the United team that captured MLS Cup '99. The former University of Virginia standout served as co-captain of the 1992 Olympic Team in Barcelona. Pierre Barrieu joins the national team program as the strength and conditioning coach after filling that responsibility for the USA during the 2002 World Cup and the 2002 Gold Cup. Board certified and holding a Master's Degree in Sports Science from the University of Nancy in France, Barrieu has served as the strength and conditioning coach for UVa's men's soccer team, as well as the men's and women's tennis teams, and as an assistant for the football team. While Barrieu is currently with the team in Bradenton, Onalfo will join the camp beginning Jan. 10.

JAN. 18 MATCH V. CANADA AVAILABLE ON LIMITED PAY-PER-VIEW: Setanta Sports has contracted to broadcast the USA v. Canada friendly on Jan. 18 live on a pay-per-view basis. Currently fans can only order the match via DirecTV for $19.95. The USA's first match of 2003 kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. Fans can also follow the action live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics.

THERE'S ONLY ONE ... : While displaying a renewed commitment to returning to the top form which had pundits describing him as the 'most creative attacking player in the U.S.,' Mathis still proceeds in his own unique style. Though the Mohawk has disappeared, the USA's leading scoring in 2002 appeared for the first fitness evaluation sporting snakeskin running shoes. Despite a lot of shaking heads, there was no official comment from the coaching staff. They were, however, pleased with his effort.

CALIFORNIA CONNECTION: The Bradenton group has a distinctive West Coast influence, with 11 players on the 26-man roster listing cities in California as their hometown. Of those 11, five players (Califf, Donovan, Dunseth, McCarty, Victorine) were members of the U.S. Olympic team that finished fourth in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. In addition, five players matriculated at UCLA under current L.A. Galaxy coach Sigi Schmid (Bocanegra, Hartman, Rimando, Vagenas, Victorine). To round out the 'Cali connection,' trainer Ivan Pierra comes to the MNT on loan from the Galaxy.

THEY SAID IT: "The young guns showed strong, U-23 style." Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley, describing the superior performance of Landon Donovan and Bobby Convey in the fitness evaluations. From USSoccer.com.

» 01.05.03 - U.S. soccer team starts 2003 workouts: BRADENTON, Fla. (AP) — The U.S. national soccer team worked out for the first time this year, preparing for exhibition games against Canada and Argentina that will test a young squad.

Coach Bruce Arena's team faces Canada on Jan. 18 in Fort Lauderdale and Argentina in Miami on Feb. 8. Qualifying play for the 2006 World Cup in Germany begins in 2004.

The roster for the Canada game could include 15 players with three games or fewer of international experience.

"One thing is for certain: We need to inject some new blood into our program," Arena said Saturday. "We have a lot of good players that lack international experience. So that's the name of the game here in 2003."

Two important tournaments follow this summer: the FIFA Confederations Cup in France in June and the CONCACAF Gold Cup the next month in the United States.

"Are we going to be talented enough and experienced enough to get it done," Arena said. "That's the initial challenge in year 2003, to get our team ready for qualifications in 2004."

Led by Landon Donovan and Brad Friedel, the Americans advanced to the World Cup quarterfinals last year. It was their best showing since the first tournament in 1930, when they made the semifinals.

Arena agreed to a four-year contract last month that will make him the longest-serving U.S. coach.

"My goal is to get to the next World Cup," he said. "I think it's a great achievement to make it to a World Cup. That's our starting point."

Twenty-six players attended the first workouts, which continue through Jan. 16 at the IMG Academy.

"Everyone knows Bruce is not going to change his ways," midfielder Ben Olsen said. "He wins. He has a formula and it's worked. I think that's why he's so successful. He's consistent and guys know what he wants." From USAToday.com.

» 01.03.03 - Winners of U.S. Soccer's Best of 2002 Awards Announced: CHICAGO (Friday, January 3, 2003) – U.S. Soccer has announced the winners of the 10 inaugural awards that made up the 2002 "Best of U.S. Soccer" awards series. These first awards of their kind were introduced on Dec. 2 after U.S. head coaches Bruce Arena and April Heinrichs helped pick the finalists for each of the unique honors.

The voting was done entirely by fans, with more than 45,000 (46,135) votes being registered online at www.ussoccer.com during the month of December. Voting began on Dec. 6 and concluded on Dec. 31, with each fan able to vote once every 24 hours for one or all of the 10 categories.

Following on the heels of the 2002 “Best of…” awards series, U.S. Soccer will announce the winners of the four annual Chevy Athlete of the Year awards – Male, Female, Young Male and Young Female – over the next two weeks. As the oldest and most prestigious awards of their kind, U.S. Soccer’s Chevy Athlete of the Year awards date back to 1984 for the men and 1985 for the women, with the winners of the two major awards receiving vehicles from Chevrolet. For the third straight year, fan votes (along with a media vote) will decide the winner, with online voting continuing through Wednesday, January 8.

The Columbus Crew led the way with three awards, including Best Soccer Stadium, which they won with a commanding 37% of the vote. The Crew also picked up the award for Best Game Promotion for their very popular “Buck-a-Brat Night,” edging out the Dallas Burn’s “ProCuts Mohawk Challenge” by a slim one percent. Finally, Crew forward Brian McBride earned the award for Best U.S. Goal for his diving header that gave the U.S. a shocking 3-0 lead over Portugal in the opening round of the 2002 World Cup.

The D.C. area was twice honored with major awards, with RFK Stadium serving as the site of the Best U.S. Crowd on May 12, 2002 when over 30,000 boisterous fans came out to watch the U.S. Men’s National Team defeat Uruguay 2-1 in the first game of the pre-World Cup “Nike Road to Korea” series.

Across the Potomac, long-time institution Summers Restaurant ran away with the Best Soccer Bar award, picking up 30% of the total votes. Summers, located in Arlington, Va., recently avoided losing their lease after an impressive groundswell of both local and national support and looks to be around as a top soccer viewing destination well into the future.

Aside from the competitive battle for the Best Game Promotion award, the closest race across the board was for Best Soccer Store, with the eventual winner being Soccer Unlimited, a three-store chain located in the Indianapolis, Ind., area.

The winner of Best Soccer Fans was no surprise in this special World Cup year, as “Fans who traveled to Korea” and formed Sam’s Army sections at every U.S. game were the clear-cut favorite and deservedly earned 29% of the total vote. Chicago and D.C. placed at the top among U.S. fans.

Speaking of the millions of fans watching in the States, it turns out it was hard to beat the couch for the Best Place to Watch the World Cup from the U.S. In fact, “Your couch” received the highest percentage of votes (47%) of any finalist to win an award, easily topping “Your local pub” for the unique distinction.

U.S. Men’s National team goalkeeper Brad Friedel won Best Game Performance – Player for his amazing effort to help the U.S. salvage a crucial draw against Korea in the team’s second game of the 2002 World Cup. Not only did he save a huge penalty kick, but he repeatedly thwarted the relentless Korean attack and routinely silenced the teaming crowd of more than 60,000 with his heroics on the way to a 1-1 decision.

The U.S. Men put together three spectacular team efforts in Korea, but perhaps none was better or more surprising than the 3-2 upset that they pulled off over Portugal in their first World Cup match on June 5, 2002, which takes the award for Best Game Performance – Team and will forever be a game where Americans will remember exactly where they were when John O’Brien scored that first goal on the way to the monumental result.

Listed below are the top three finishers for each of the 10 awards that made up the 2002 “Best of U.S. Soccer” Series: 2002 Best of U.S. Soccer Award Winners

Best Soccer Bar
Summers (Arlington, Va.): 30%
Britannia Arms (San Jose, Calif.): 12%
Abbey Pub (Chicago, Ill.): 10%

Best Soccer Store
Soccer Unlimited (Indianapolis, Ind.): 17%
Gotshalks (Boston, Mass.): 12%
Ewing Sports (Trenton, N.J.): 11%

Best Soccer Stadium
Columbus Crew Stadium: 37%
RFK Stadium: 19%
Gillette Stadium: 13%

Best Soccer Fans
Fans who traveled to Korea: 29%
Chicago: 17%
Washington D.C.: 14%
Best Soccer Game Promotion
"Buck-a-Brat Night": 24%
“ProCuts Mohawk Challenge”: 23%
“Thirsty Thursday”: 19%

Best Place to Watch the World Cup from the U.S.
Your couch: 47%
Your local pub: 23%
Stadium Club (Columbus Crew Stadium): 18%

Best U.S. Crowd
May 12 @ RFK Stadium – MNT 2, Uruguay 1 – 30,413: 32%
March 2 @ Safeco Field – MNT 4, Honduras 0 – 38,534: 27%
May 19 @ Gillette Stadium – MNT 0, Holland 2 – 36,778: 18%

Best U.S. Goal
Brian McBride – June 5 vs. Portugal: 32%
Landon Donovan – June 17 vs. Mexico: 19%
Clint Mathis – June 10 vs. Korea: 17%

Best Game Performance – Player
Brad Friedel – June 10 vs. Korea: 42%
Landon Donovan – June 17 vs. Mexico: 14%
Brian McBride – June 5 vs. Portugal: 11%

Best Game Performance – Team
MNT vs. Portugal – June 5: 31%
MNT vs. Germany – June 21: 29%
MNT vs. Mexico – June 17: 24%

From USSoccer.com.

» 01.02.03 - U.S. SOCCER: Donovan is tied for 29th in 2002 King of the Americas balloting: San Jose Earthquakes star Landon Donovan was the only American to receive votes in the 17th annual King of the Americas balloting.

Donovan finished tied for 29th with four points. The only other MLS player to receive votes was Guatemalan Carlos Ruiz of the Los Angeles Galaxy. The MLS MVP was tied for 74th with one point.

The winner was Paraguayan Jose Cardozo of Mexican club Toluca.

The King of the Americas award is open to players from CONCACAF and South America who are playing for a club in the Americas. The award is organized by the Uruguayan newspaper El Pais. Voting is conducted by journalists from the Americas, including Soccer America managing editor Paul Kennedy.

King of the Americas voting:

Jose S. Cardozo (Paraguay) 39
Sergio Orteman (Uruguay) 32
Alejandro Lembo (Uruguay) 30
Andres D'Alessandro (Argentina) 29
Kaka (Brazil) 27
Gabriel Milito (Argentina) 25
Francisco Arce (Paraguay) 24
Sebastian Saja (Argentina) 23
Marcelo Delgado (Argentina) 18
Robinho (Brazil) 16
Freddy Grisales (Colombia) 15
Julio C. Caceres (Paraguay) 14
Andres Silvera (Argentina) 13
Marcos (Brasil), Diego (Brazil) 12
Celso Ayala (Paraguay) 11
Kleberson (Brazil) 9
Sebastian Abreu (Uruguay) 8
Gilberto (Brazil) 7
Leandro Romagnoli (Argentina), Federico Insua (Argentina), Julio C. Enciso (Paraguay), Federico Dominguez (Argentina) 6.

Carlos Tevez (Argentina), Daniel Montenegro (Argentina), Ricardinho (Brasil), Athirson (Brazil), Romario (Brasil) 5.

Russo (Brazil), Ricardo Tavarelli (Paraguay), Nestor Isasi (Paraguay), Vampeta (Brazil), Marcos Senna (Brasil), Landon Donovan (United States), Alberto Acosta (Argentina), Miguel A. Benitez (Paraguay) 4.

Diego Milito, Luis Gatty Ribeiro (Bolivia), Justo Villar (Paraguay), Anderson Lima (Brasil), Marco Vanzini (Uruguay), Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Mexico), Adrian Bastia (Argentina), Horacio Peralta (Uruguay), Leonardo Poncio (Argentina), Ricardo Rojas (Chile), Fabinho (Brasil), Lucas Pussineri (Argentina), Martin Demichelis (Argentina), Anderson Polga (Brasil), Gerardo Bedoya (Colombia), Rubens Cardoso (Brazil), Joaquin Bottero (Bolivia), Richard Baez (Paraguay), Richard Morales (Uruguay), Jorge Soto (Peru), Juan Samudio (Paraguay), Denis Caniza (Paraguay) 3.

Virginio Caceres (Paraguay), Ivan Hurtado (Ecuador), Dininho (Brasil), Clemente Rodriguez (Argentina), Rodrigo Fabri (Brazil), Rodrigo Mendes (Brazil), Vicente Sanchez (Uruguay), Miguel Calero (Colombia), Martin Del Campo (Uruguay), Sergio Ibarra (Argentina), Pedrinho (Brazil), Claudio Rivera Maldonado (Chile), Gabriel Cedres (Uruguay), Tinga (Brazil), Oscar J. Morales (Uruguay) 2.

Nelson Zelaya (Paraguay), Duilio Davino (Mexico), Augusto Porozo (Ecuador), Salvador Carmona (Mexico), Jose A. Castro (Mexico), Nelson Olveira (Uruguay), Luis Fuentes (Chile), Daniel (Brasil), Dario Franco (Argentina), Joe Bizera (Uruguay), Fabio (Brasil), Aaron Galindo (Mexico), Nicolas Burdisso (Argentina), Martin Hidalgo (Peru), Nelson Cuevas (Paraguay), Claudio Morel (Paraguay), Henrique Da Silva (Brazil), Pablo Michelini (Argentina), Percy Colque (Bolivia), Claudio Suarez (Mexico), Roger (Brazil), Kleber (Brazil), Claudio Dadomo (Uruguay), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Argentina), Luizao (Brasil), Somalia (Brazil), Cesar Carignano (Argentina), Carlos Ruiz (Guatemala), Danrlei (Brazil), Francisco Ceballos (Ecuador), Leonardo Diaz (Argentina), Rogerio (Brazil), Angel D. Comizzo (Argentina), David Gonzalez (Colombia), Edinson Velazquez (Colombia), Oscar Sanchez (Bolivia), Alessandro Mancini (Brazil), Alberto Rodriguez (Peru), Pavel Pardo (Mexico), Celso Esquivel (Argentina), Jose Serrizuela (Argentina), Frankie Oviedo (Colombia), Giovanny Hernandez (Colombia), Danilo Turcios (Hondura), Rafael Garcia (Mexico), Hugo Castillo (Argentina), Roberto Palacios (Peru), Pablo Bengoechea (Uruguay), Alexander Viveros (Colombia), Estanislao Struway (Paraguay), Christian Gimenez (Argentina), Fernando Machado (Uruguay), Jose A. Noriega (Mexico), Zinho (Brazil), Ailton (Brazil), Patricio Ormazabal (Chile), Sebastian Bataglia (Argentina), Fabian Canobbio (Uruguay), Diego Scotti (Uruguay), Marcelo Espina (Argentina), Martin Liguera (Uruguay). 1. From SoccerAmerica.com.

» 01.01.03 - TICKETS ON SALE FOR USA CLASH WITH TWO-TIME WORLD CUP CHAMPION ARGENTINA ON FEB. 8 IN MIAMI: U.S. to Take on the Fifth Ranked Team in the World at the Orange Bowl

CHICAGO (Tuesday, December 31, 2002) – Tickets go on sale today for the U.S. Men's National Team match against two-time World Cup champion Argentina on Saturday, February 8, 2003, at the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcast live on ESPN2. Fans can also follow the game live online via ussoccer.com’s MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics.

Advance tickets ranging in price levels from $15 to $35 can be purchased at all South Florida Ticketmaster outlets (including FYE, Spec’s Music and Ricky’s Records), by phone (Ft. Lauderdale 954-523-3309; Miami 305-358-5885; West Palm Beach 561-966-3309) and on-line at www.ussoccer.com. Groups of 20 or more can order immediately through U.S. Soccer at 312-528-1249.

"Argentina is traditionally one of the finest teams in the world, and to have the opportunity to face a team of their caliber is invaluable to the developmental process of our team," said U.S. head coach Bruce Arena. "Our goal over the next two years is to face as much quality opposition as possible in order to prepare our newer players for the challenge of World Cup qualifying in 2004."

The United States holds a 2-4 lifetime record against Argentina, who are currently ranked fifth in the FIFA World Rankings. The Feb. 8 meeting will be the second ever on U.S. soil. The teams' last met June 13, 1999 in Washington, D.C., when a Joe-Max Moore lifted the United States a 1-0 victory and their second straight win against their South American neighbors. The previous victory came four years earlier, when the United States shocked Argentina 3-0 on July 14, 1995, en route to a fourth place finish at the Copa America in Uruguay.

The USA has played eight times at the Orange Bowl in Miami, compiling a 2-4-2 lifetime record. Over 49,000 fans witnessed the U.S. defeat Haiti 3-0 in the CONCACAF Gold Cup on February 12, 2000. The U.S. men last visited Miami in February of last year, falling to Colombia by a score of 1-0.

The United States is continuing preparation for participation in two major tournaments this summer. Eight teams from the around the world, led by 2002 World Cup champions Brazil, will compete for the FIFA Confederations Cup championship from June 18-29 in France. The USA will then look to defend its confederation championship in the 2002 CONCACAF Gold Cup to be held from July 12-23 in the United States. From USSoccer.com.