VS
The US opens against the Czech Republic on June 12th.
FIFA rank/ WC odds Czech Republic 2/ 29:1 USA 5/ 81:1
The key matchup: The Czech strikers vs the US defence.
1) The striking edge: Czech Republic – Aerial supremacy
With 6’7″ Jan Koller and 6’0″ MIlan Baros, the aerial supremacy battle clearly lies on and off the heads of the Czech. Specially the shining bald pate of Jan Koller. Look for long balls, crosses, and corner kicks to exploit this advantage. It will be left to the US defence and Kasey Keller to keep them out. Milan Baros is a threat with his jinking runs on the ground. He will have to be marked closely. He has scored a phenomenal 26 goals in 44 international appearances. But his EPL career has not lived upto promise. Except for Brian McBride, who gives 110% everytime he plays and Landon Donovan, the rest are inexperienced. But even the strike rate of these two are nothing compared to Koller and Baros. Bruce Arena could have done with Taylor Twellman but for some inexplicable reason kept him out.
2) The midfield edge: Czech Republic- Tomas Rosicky and Pavel Nedved
Control over midfield lies at the feet of Pavel Nedved and Tomas Rosicky. For the US, it is Claudio Reyna and John O’Brien. The midfield is coming off injuries to both teams. And the fitness level will be crucial to play 90 minutes and service the strikers. The feeling one gets is that the Czechs will look more for the long ball to their strikers whereas the US will have to build their attack through short passes. Tomas Rosicky in particular will have to be watched out for because of his accurate passing to his strikers. Pavel Nedved is their free kick specialist as he can kick with both feet. DeMarcus Beasley will start at the left. And Clint Dempsey will come on as a substitute for Claudio Reyna, if he can’t sustain the whole game or plays below par. But I don’t seriously see them in the same class as Rosicky and Nedved.
3) The defensive edge: The USA – Experience
In Kasey Keller and Petr Cech you have two of the best goalkeepers in the world. Both have extensive experience for clubs abroad. Cech conceded just 22 goals, the fewest in the EPL for champions Chelsea. Keller conceded 50 goals at Borussia, for a team that finished in the middle of the Bundesliga. So when it comes to a penalty shootout there is little to choose between them. This will be Keller’s fourth world cup appearance, so he has tons of experience and has succeeded in keeping the US in close games in the WC including the historic 1-0 win over Brazil in 1998 and many recent internationals.
The defence looks solid with Steve Cherundolo, Cory Gibbs, Carlos Bocanegra, and Eddie Lewis. Except for Lewis the other three have played in the tough European leagues. The 6’0″ Carlos Bocanegra (Fulham) with 40 appearances for the US and the 6’1″ Cory Gibbs (Charlton Athletic) with 19 appearances will have to head off the Czech duo in the air. Steve Cherundolo (35 caps) and Kasey Keller (93 caps) will be invaluable as Cherundolo plays for the Bundesliga (Hannover 96) and Keller for Borussia Moenchengladbach and both have experience playing Borussia Dortmund striker, Jan Koller and ace midfielder Tomas Rosicky.
Key player stats:
Czech Republic
Jan Koller (striker): 40 goals in 67 internationals
Milan Baros (striker): 26 goals in 44 internationals
Pavel Nedved (midfielder): 17 goals in 85 internationals
Tomas Rosicky (midfielder): 15 goals in 53 internationals
Karel Poborsky (midfielder): 8 goals in 112 internationals
Marek Jankulovski (defender): 7 goals in 45 internationals
Zdenek Grygera (defender): 0 goals in 21 internationals
Petr Cech (goalkeeper): 39 internationals
Coach:
Karel Bruckner (record) W 33 L 8 D 6
USA
Brian McBride (striker): 30 goals in 92 internationals
Landon Donovan (striker): 25 goals in 81 internationals
Claudio Reyna (midfielder): 8 goals in 109 internationals
John O’Brien (midfielder): 3 goals in 31 internationals
DaMarcus Beasley (midfielder): 12 goals in 58 internationals
Steve Cherundolo (defender): 1 goal in 35 internationals
Carlos Bocanegra (defender): 6 goals in 40 internationals
Kasey Keller (goalkeeper): 93 internationals
Coach
Bruce Arena (record) W 19 L 8 D 7
For complete team rosters
The Czechs have met the Americans just once, in 1990, and beat them badly — 5-1 in the teams’ first round opener of the 1990 World Cup in Florence.
Update: The US has to play a fast, up tempo game to wear out the older Czech team with its veteran players many of them who are coming of injuries.