Czechs pay US due respect before clash

The highly regarded Czechs know complacency could be fatal against a team that reached the quarter-finals after shocking Portugal 3-2 in their World Cup opener four years ago. 8220;The result of the first match is the key for success in the whole tournament,8221; said tall 33-year-old striker Jan Koller.

The Czech Republic looked as if they might have injury worries leading up to the game but everyone is fit except striker Milan Baros.

Coach Karel Brueckner will decide on Sunday whether the top scorer at Euro 2004 can play since the 24-year-old has hardly trained due to a foot injury picked up in a friendly last week.

Inspirational playmaker Pavel Nedved, who came out of international retirement, limped away from training on Thursday after a knock to his knee. The 33-year-old, who turns out for Juventus is, however, expected to play.

The Czechs will be dangerous up front where Koller is a big threat while midfielder Tomas Rosicky, who has just convinced Arsenal of his worth, will cause all sorts of problems.

However, United States coach Bruce Arena is happy to express his confidence in his team.

Arena has the same core of players who represented in Korea and Japan four years ago but now with more experience at the highest level.

8220;I think experience helps,8221; Arena said. 8220;It is an advantage to have a number of players who played in 2002 and experienced success. Several others were there in 1998.8221;

Arena knows the U.S. need at least a point against the Czechs 8212; with Italy and Ghana looming 8212; to boost their hopes of surviving a difficult Group E.

He is also eager to prove that the Americans can beat a big team on European soil having struggled over the last eight years but the seasoned Czechs will be a tough nut to crack.

The squads

United States of America: Goalkeepers: Tim Howard 1, Kasey Keller 18, Marcus Hahnemann 19 Defenders: Chris Albright 2, Carlos Bocanegra 3, Pablo Mastroeni 4, Steve Cherundolo 6, Eddie Lewis 7, Gregg Berhalter 12, Jimmy Conrad 13, Oguchi Onyewu 22, Eddie Pope 23 Midfielders: John O8217;Brien 5, Clint Dempsey 8, Claudio Reyna 10, Ben Olsen 14, Bobby Convey 15, DaMarcus Beasley 17, Landon Donovan 21 Forwards: Eddie Johnson 9, Brian Ching 11, Josh Wolff 16, Brian McBride 20 Coach: Bruce Arena

CZECH REPUBLIC: Goalkeepers: Petr Cech 1, Jaromir Blazek 16, Antonin Kinsky 23 Defenders: Zdenek Grygera 2, Pavel Mares 3, Marek Jankulovski 6, Martin Jiranek 13, Tomas Ujfalusi 21, David Rozehnal 22 Midfielders: Tomas Galasek 4, Radoslav Kovac 5, Libor Sionko 7, Karel Poborsky 8, Tomas Rosicky 10, Pavel Nedved 11, David Jarolim 14, Jiri Stajner 17, Jan Polak 19, Jaroslav Plasil 20 Forwards: Jan Koller 9, Vratislav Lokvenc 12, Milan Baros 15, Marek Heinz 18 Coach: Karel Brueckner

Match Officials: Referee: Carlos Amarilla Paraguay, Assistant Referees : Amelio Andino Paraguay and Manuel Bernal Paraguay, Fourth Official: Carlos Chandia China, Fifth Official: Rodrigo Gonzalez China.

Erik Kirschbaum