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U.S. Team Regroups For Cup Qualifier
Former Terrapin Maurice Edu hustled past Cuba's Enrique Villaurrutia in an Olympic qualifying game in March. Edu, in Beijing last week, traveled to Toronto and Scotland before arriving in Guatemala.
(By Doug Benc -- Getty Images)
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"The last year we have had opportunities to rehearse these situations," Bradley said. "You always need to get across that, when they come in, it's important that they can switch gears quickly and pick up on where we left off. The hope is that the foundation of work that we put in as a group, to establish tactics and a mentality, all those things are in place for them when they arrive."
The trip was particularly complicated for former Maryland Terrapin Maurice Edu, a midfielder who returned to his Toronto MLS team from Beijing, only to re-board a jet a day later and head to Scotland to negotiate a deal with Glasgow Rangers. Two days passed before he was back in the air to join the national team.
"I don't even know what day it is," he said. Edu, 22, will be among several young players getting their first serious taste of World Cup qualifying. "The guys have prepped me a little bit and told me to expect the unexpected. The game is of great importance, and we know Guatemala needs to win at home."
Said Donovan: "It will be a learning experience for some of these guys. The emphasis has to be on composure and what we can control -- don't worry about the crowd or the referee. Once everything settles, just try to play soccer, and that is where we are clearly better."
Playing on the road, however, can serve as a great neutralizer.
Guatemala will have the support of an estimated 25,000 at Estadio Mateo Flores, named after a Guatemalan runner who won the 1952 Boston Marathon.
"When you play there," Guatemala Coach Ramón Maradiaga said, "you can't escape the noise and the passion."
Capacity was reduced after one of the worst tragedies in soccer history. Before a World Cup qualifier against Costa Rica in October 1996, thousands of fans with both legitimate and counterfeit tickets tried to enter one particular section, causing a human avalanche that left more than 80 dead and 150 injured. Guatemalan authorities have since implemented new ticketing and security policies. Police and military personnel numbering more than 2,000 will be in position Wednesday night.
While the U.S. players do not fear for their safety, they do recognize the impact the atmosphere will have on the game and particularly their opponent.
"I have friends in England who say, 'Oh, it's just Guatemala; that's an easy three points,' " said goalkeeper Tim Howard, who plays for Everton. "They don't understand that there's nothing easy about it."
