You Asked If The Coaches Sleep

Great question, Leonardo. As you all know, training camp opens today for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, two days after the U.S. took second place in the FIFA Confederations Cup after five games in 13 days. So what was on tap for the coaches in between? Here's a sample of one itinerary:

June 29
1 a.m. - team arrives back at hotel following Confederations Cup final
7 a.m. - breakfast and meeting
9 a.m. - depart for site inspection of base camp for 2010 FIFA World Cup (if U.S. qualifies)
12 p.m. - lunch and meeting
3 p.m. - personal bags brought to lobby for departure for airport
8:30 p.m. - depart hotel for airport
11:30 p.m. - flight from Johannesburg to Amsterdam (11 hours, 10 minutes)

June 30
10:40 a.m. - arrival into Amsterdam
1:25 p.m. - flight from Amsterdam to Los Angeles International (10 hours, 55 minutes)
3:20 p.m (PT) - arrival into LAX (time difference - minus 9 hours)
5:30 p.m. - flight from LAX to Seattle (2 hours, 33 minutes)
8:03 p.m. - arrival into Seattle
9 p.m. - dinner and meeting

We're no mathematicians, but that seems like a really long day.

Oh, and July 1 begins with breakfast at 8 a.m. and training at 10 a.m.

The Breaking Of The Fellowship

The last of the 23-man roster has just departed for the airport in Johannesburg, silver medals and memories in hand of what was and what might have been, and more importantly, what there is to come. The U.S. team has spent the last week stunning the soccer world, and has but a moment to catch its breath before the next journey begins.

It's already almost time to get back in the saddle for the U.S. national team as a host of players are given the opportunity of a lifetime - to demonstrate in a real competition that they have something to contribute to a side determined to qualify and compete in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. We are less than a week away from the start of the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, where the U.S. seeks to defend back-to-back titles. The group gathers in Seattle beginning tomorrow evening in preparation for the opening match on July 4 against Grenada. The coaching staff will be on the ground for less than four hours before the start of the first meeting.

Donovan Back on Dan Patrick Show

You can hear Landon Donovan recap the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup at 11:35 a.m. ET today on the Dan Patrick show.

LD appeared on the show just after the USA's 2-0 victory against No. 1-ranked Spain in the semis.
Listen to that interview here.

Bob and LD on the Final

Here's what U.S. MNT head coach Bob Bradley and midfielder Landon Donovan had to say after the tough loss. Let us know your thoughts after the game.

U.S. head coach Bob Bradley

On the match:
“It was a tough one. Obviously, a good first half, but we give up the first goal so early in the second half that we put ourselves in a tough spot.”

On giving up a goal so early in the second half:
“That really hurt. But again, Fabiano just makes a good turn and I think it goes through DeMerit’s legs. It’s just a tough one to take so early in the half.”

On how proud he is of his team:
“Extremely proud. We continue to try to move ourselves forward. Playing these kinds of games only helps, but it still feels pretty lousy to let this one get away.”

On if the result earns a new respect for U.S. Soccer:
“I hope so. I think people around the world see that we have a good team, we have good players and hopefully we can continue to step forward.”

U.S. midfielder Landon Donovan

On giving up the 2-0 lead:
“Yeah, we’re disappointed. To give up the goal so fast in the second half hurts. Give them credit. They kept coming wave after wave and they probably deserved it in the end.”

On facing a relentless Brazilian attack:
“It’s difficult. You look around at their players and your realize why they are worth so much and why they play at the teams they play, but it’s disappointing when we gave such a good effort today.

On his goal:
“Ricardo played me a good pass it in the middle. I gave it to Charlie and he did a good job getting it back to me and then I just did the rest from there.”

On if the USA’s run in the tournament gained respect for U.S. Soccer:
“Hopefully, but we’re at the point where we don’t want respect, we want to win. There’s no guarantee that we ever get back to a final game like this so it’s disappointing.”

Brazil Wins FIFA Confederations Cup

A valiant effort from the U.S. eventually fell just short as a 2-0 lead became a 3-2 halftime loss... Brazil scored in the 46th, 74th and 85th minutes in their come-from-behind effort in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The U.S., however, still took its best-ever finish in a major international championship, finishing in second place.

We will of course have much, much more from South Africa, so stay tuned here, at ussoccer.com and at twitter.com/ussoccer for more from the USA

Brazil Makes it 2-1 Early in the Second Half ...

Brazil scored just seconds after the start of the second half, cutting the U.S. lead in half ... The Americans have been able to hold on to the 2-1 lead since then, as we're in the 73rd minute in Johannesburg ....

Donovan Makes it 2-0!!!!!

The U.S. capitalized on a counter attack that started in their own half ... Clark touched ahead to Donovan who played it wide to Davies. Davies did well to get it back to Donovan as he was entering the box. Landon touched it around the lone defender and finished past Julio Cesar to double the USA lead in the Confed Cup Final!

Dempsey Makes it 1-0!

Clint Dempsey gave the U.S. an early lead when he finished off a Jonathan Spector cross beautifully. Spector lifted it into the box, where Dempsey had found a small bit of space, and the Fulham man touched it just enough to bounce it into the far post.

The Americans have a 1-0 lead in just the 10th minute!

Studio 90 - Game Day

Watch here

Follow today's game live at MatchTracker and Twitter.

U.S. Lineup vs. Brazil

1-Tim Howard
3-Carlos Bocanegra (capt)
5-Oguchi Onyewu
8-Clint Dempsey
9-Charlie Davies
10-Landon Donovan
12-Jonathan Spector
13-Ricardo Clark
15-Jay DeMerit
17-Jozy Altidore
22-Benny Feilhaber

The only change from the Spain game will be Feilhaber replacing the suspended Michael Bradley in midfield.

Here is what Brazil counters with:

1-Julio Cesar
2-Maicon
3-Lucio (capt)
5-Felipe Melo
8-Gilberto Silva
9-Luis Fabiano
10-Kaka
11-Robinho
14-Luisao
16-Andre Santos
18-Ramires

Pre-Game Primers For The Final

Read the full pre-game press notes here. Some things to look out for:

• Regardless of the result, the U.S. will have achieved its best finish at a FIFA tournament. Their previous best were third place finishes in the 1992 King Fahd Cup (the predecessor to the Confederations Cup), and the 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup in Mexico. The U.S. also finished third in the 1930 World Cup, with only eight teams participating in the inaugural world championship.

• After defeating Spain, the U.S. is 2-7-1 all-time against the top-ranked team in the world since the rankings began in 1993. Bob Bradley personally holds a 1-1-1 record against the No. 1 team.

• Bocanegra is one of two players to have previously scored against Brazil and is the only player with multiple goals. He scored the lone U.S. goal in the 2-1 loss of the semifinals of the 2003 Gold Cup, then scored the opening goal in the 4-2 defeat in the friendly on Sept. 7, 2007, in Chicago. Clint Dempsey is the other player with a goal, also on Sept. 7, 2007.

• The Brazilians carry their own streak into today's final, unbeaten now in 15 games stretching back more than a year.

• Brazil hasn’t allowed a goal in their last 305 minutes of action in the Confederations Cup, while the U.S. hasn’t allowed a goal in their last 208 minutes.

Golden Ball Finalists Announced

FIFA announced the candidates for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Ball Winner, awarded to tournament's Most Valuable Player. Among the candidates to be voted on by journalists are Clint Dempsey, who has twice won Man of the Match honors, and Landon Donovan. The full list:

Brazi - Kaka, Luis Fabiano, Robinho
South Africa - Bernie Parker, Steven Pienaar
Spain - Fernando Torres, David Villa, Xavi
USA - Clint Dempsey, Landon Donovan

A few decent names...

Heed The Call Of Vuvuzebra

Studio 90 News for June 28

In case you haven't seen it over at ussoccer.com, here's today's Studio 90 News. The Studio 90 crew talks to Brazilian-born Benny Feilhaber about his roots in the South American country and tomorrow's big game:

Behind the Scenes at Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup

The U.S. will play its second-ever match at Ellis Park when they take the field for the FIFA Confederations Cup final this Sunday. In November of 2007, the United States participated in the 2007 Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup, defeating host South Africa 1-0 on a goal from Steve Cherundolo. Could a defender be the hero again in Jo'Burg?



The stadium also holds special memories for Jozy Altidore, who earned his first cap for the full team that day.

Official U.S. Soccer Bars Serving Up Brunch Against Brazil!

No notes from your doctor needed this time. The stage is set for you to join fans across the nation to watch one of the biggest matches in Men's National Team history when they take on Brazil in the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, live on ESPN and Univision, with coverage beginning at 2 p.m. ET.

With the buzz surrounding this match nearing World Cup-like proportions and the U.S. facing mighty Brazil, the Official U.S. Soccer Bars are the best to go and share in a moment you may never forget.

And of course the best part of the Official U.S. Soccer Bars - Zebras welcome!

A Few Pictures from Yesterday

Here are a few pictures from yesterday's training at Rand Stadium. You can see the full gallery (it's not very big though) at usoccer.com.

ussoccer.com also has an all_access video from yesterday's press conference. You can watch that here.

Miss US

A brisk afternoon got a lot warmer with the welcome greetings of Miss US Lauren Perry. Lauren, who is representing the US in the 2009 Miss World Pageant which will take place in Johannesburg in December - is in the 'The City of Gold' for the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. And she brought her own jersey!

In other beautiful people news - a category the MNT Blog is woefully unqualified to report on - People Magazine features a few of our guys in Real People Stories!

Pardon The Interruption...

But we just thought you should know that Jozy Altidore will be the featured guest on PTI today!
Hosts Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon will be calling Jozy in Johannesburg to talk about Sunday's match against Brazil as part of their "Five Good Minutes".

Tune in at 5:30 pm ET on ESPN today...

UPDATE: ...or just watch it here!

Busy Day in Johannesburg

It's been a busy day here at MNT headquarters in Johannesburg, here's what's been going on:

• This morning coaches and some players headed to an optional gym session. Some players opted for sleeping in.
• After lunch, Bob Bradley and Carlos Bocanegra participated in a press-conference at the hotel. You can listen to the full podcast here (all 20 minutes of it).
  
• Training was split into two groups today: the starters from Wednesday night went to the gym to do some regeneration, while everybody else went to Rand Stadium for a training session. The stadium, which was recently renovated, is going to be the future home to Jomo Cosmos.
  
• We'll be back later with a video of the press conference as well as some photos from training...
  

Brazil Beat Bafana; Set up Rematch with U.S.

Brazil defeated hosts South Africa 1-0 last night to set up a Group B rematch with the United States in the Confederations Cup final on Sunday. Bafana Bafana put up a spirited resistance for the majority of the 90 minutes, buoyed by a vibrant sold-out crowd at Ellis Park, but Daniel Alves' 88th minute free kick proved to be the only difference between the two sides. While Brazil moves on to Sunday's final, also in Ellis Park, South Africa will face Spain in the third-place game in Rustenberg.

Patches, Pt. 4 - Spain

We're making our way around the world with these patches, and today we have part four, Spain:In case you haven't been following, each patch in the Confederations Cup is different. All eight teams' patches have a unique look, each with the trophy from their confederation's continental championship. Our patch notes that the U.S. won the CONCACAF Gold Cup in 2007. So far we've also seen patches for Italy's World Cup championship, Brazil's Copa America title, and Egypt's African Cup of Nations trophy...

Post-game Reactions

Hear what the guys thought about their big win yesterday...

U.S. victory nominated for ESPY's 'Best Upset' Award

The USA's victory against No. 1-ranked Spain in the semifinals of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup has been nominated for the 2009 ESPY's 'Best Upset' Award. The 2-0 win that ended Spain's record-tying 35-match unbeaten run has been added to the list as an instant candidate. You can vote for the USA's effort on the (UPDATED LINK) official ESPY's website. The 2009 ESPY's will air July 19 at 9 p.m. ET.

Of course, the U.S. team rightly puts all the credit where it belongs:

The Vuvuzebra!

The Morning After - Headlines from Around the World

Last night's win literally made headlines across the globe, so we thought we'd share just a few with you...

From Spain
Marca
“Humble Pie” (print version)
http://www.marca.com/multimedia/primeras/09/06/0625.html

“Shipwreck on the United States Coast” (online version)
http://www.marca.com/marcador/futbol/2009/copa_confederaciones/semifinal/spa_usa/

El Pais
“The Party's Over”
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/deportes/Fin/fiesta/elpepudep/20090624elpepudep_10/Tes

El Mundo
“The U.S. Destroys the Spanish legend”
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/2009/06/24/futbol/1245862885.html

“Yes They Can!” (headline in English)
http://www.elmundo.es/elmundodeporte/especiales/2008/08/liga/blogs/elcortadordecesped.html


From Around the World....
La Cronica (Mexico)
“Made In USA” (headline in English)
http://www.cronica.com.mx/especial.php?id_nota=441076&id_tema=1284

Gazeta (Brazil)
“The Miracle Workers from the U.S. Appear Once Again and Eliminate ‘The Fury’”
http://www.gazetaesportiva.net/nota/2009/06/24/585569.html

L’Equipe (France)
“The American Dream”
http://www.lequipe.fr/Football/breves2009/20090624_231919_le-reve-americain.html

Sky Sports (England)
“USA Stuns Spain to Make Final”
http://www.skysports.com/football/match_report/0,19764,11065_3152727,00.html

Clarin (Argentina)
“The United States Shocks the World of Football and Takes Down Spain”
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2009/06/24/um/m-01945348.htm


Have you found others? Let us know in the comments!

Back in Johannesburg

The U.S. team traveled earlier this morning to Johannesburg, site of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup final. The hotel is just down the road from where the U.S. stayed in 2007 when they defeated South Africa in the Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup. By virtue of reaching the final, the U.S. will have played in all four venues in the tournament, all of which will be used during the 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Today is a complete day off for the players, the coaching staff allowing them to catch their breath and enjoy the moment before getting back to work and bearing down on preparations for Sunday's final.

Stay tuned for video of post-match reaction shortly. Meantime, you can read quotes from the players from last night's monumental victory.

Ranking The Result

Many of the questions in the press conference and mixed zone last night focused on whether this is the biggest victory in U.S. Men's National Team history.

So we put it to you, Greg. Where does this win rank for you?

Highlights. Reaction. Analysis.

Post-game reaction, highlights and analysis from ESPN.

Another 2-0 Instant Classic!

Want to watch again why Jozy Altidore reacted like this?

Set your DVRs or tune in live to ESPN2 tonight at 11 p.m. ET to see the replay of the game.

First Reactions (including David Villa's)

Bob Bradley: "It was a great team effort. To beat an amazing team like Spain and to make the final, it's big."

Clint Dempsey: "No one thought we were going to get to the finals. We worked hard, and we knew it was going to be a tough game. That's why people come to the game, you never know what is going to happen and that's why people love this game."

Tim Howard: "It just goes to show you that in sports, if you put your mind to something, and you work really hard you can achieve great things. It's a proud moment for us as a country and as a team. We are just happy that we are the guys that are representing the USA."

Landon Donovan: "Tonight we put on a really good show."

Final: USA 2, Spain 0

The U.S. has shocked Spain, 2-0, to advance to the final of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. Jozy Altidore (27th) and Clint Dempsey (74th) provided the goals.

Notable streaks for Spain that ended: A FIFA-record 15 consecutive victories, 35-consecutive games unbeaten (tying Brazil's record) and 451 minutes with allowing a goal.

We'll of course have all the reaction, photos, videos and more here and at ussoccer.com ... but until then, what do you think?

U.S. Lineup vs. Spain

1-Tim Howard
3-Carlos Bocanegra
5-Oguchi Onyewu
8-Clint Dempsey
9-Charlie Davies
10-Landon Donovan (capt.)
12-Michael Bradley
13-Ricardo Clark
15-Jay DeMerit
17-Jozy Altidore
21-Jonathan Spector

Two changes from Egypt with Howard coming back in front of the net, while Bocanegra comes back from injury and starts at left back. This is the first time Bocanegra will start on the left since the U.S. took on Ecuador in Tampa Bay on March 25, 2007, a 3-1 win (LD had a hat-trick if you forgot).

Surprise Guest

Several of the former Chicago Fire players and staff were surprised to see their old striker waiting by the locker room upon arrival. Hristo Stoichkov gave grand abrazos to his former mates, including Bob Bradley, Carlos Bocanegra, DaMarcus Beasley and Mike Sorber.

There have been rumors that Stoichkov may be the next coach of the Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa's PSL. For now, he just came to wish luck to his old friends.

Pre-Game Primer - Some Highlights

For the full pre-game press notes, click here

Some highlights:

• Jonathan Spector and Jay DeMerit have stepped in to start and play 90 minutes in three straight games for a total of 270 minutes each. For Spector, that’s more minutes than he played for the U.S. from June 13, 2007, until the start of the Confederations Cup, and for DeMerit that’s more minutes than he played from June 29, 2007, until facing Italy on June 15.
• Spector’s assist on Clint Dempsey’s goal was his first career point for the U.S.
• The Euro 2008 champions are on a rarely seen form that has led to a record 15-consecutive victories and 35-straight matches unbeaten. The 15 victories date since their 0-0 draw with Italy in the Euro 2008 final, which was decided 4-2 in penalty kicks. Spain’s last loss was on Nov. 15, 2006, falling to Romania in a friendly
• Dempsey’s goal against Egypt was the 14th of his career, moving him into sole possession of ninth place on the all-time scoring list for the U.S., passing Marcelo Balboa and Hugo Perez, and one behind Cobi Jones in eighth place. Dempsey also moved into a tie with Perez in 11th all-time with 34 points, one ahead of Clint Mathis.
• Donovan is the leading capwinner on the roster with 113 appearances, passing longtime U.S. captain Claudio Reyna to move into fourth place on the all-time list. The USA’s all-time leader in goals (40) and assists (37) has one of each at the Confederations Cup, with his penalty kick goal against Italy being the deciding factor in U.S. advancement to the semifinals.
• As the top team in the world, Spain’s roster of 23 players includes 22 who closed out their 2008-09 season with clubs that qualified for either UEFA Champions League or Europa League, and four from Champions League title holders Barcelona
  

Today's Referees - We've Got History

Running the middle today is Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda. Name sound familiar?

Does 1-1 draw and three red cards in the World Cup ring a bell? Mr. Larrionda, who also did the France-Portugal semifinal in Germany, officiated the USA's tie against Italy in which he issued four yellows and three red cards. Seeing straight red on June 17, 2006, in Kaiserslautern were Daniel de Rossi and Pablo Mastroeni, while Eddie Pope was handed two yellow cards.

Also part of the crew tonight is fourth official Coffi Codjia, who served in the same capacity in the USA-Brazil game last week and signalled to the referee that Sacha Kljestan deserved to be sent off.

Go Ahead. Starting Getting Pumped Up ...

Extra Extra! Estados Unidos Va al Semifinales! That gem and more below ...

Head to Official U.S. Soccer Bars for 'Long Lunch Wednesday'

What, you haven't heard of that holiday? Comes around every time the U.S. Men's National Team is playing midweek games against the BEST team in the world in the semifinals of a major international tournament. We know we've seen it on a calendar somewhere.

According to the rules, these holidays are celebrated at Official U.S. Soccer Bars across the country beginning around ... oh ... 2:25 Eastern Time. The ritual also require face painting, jersey wearing, scarf waving and a whole lot of screaming. It's like casual Friday, minus the face painting, jersey wearing ...

And come on. If he can pull it off, so can you...

Climbing Mountains - And Then Some

One of the interesting and not well known facts about South Africa is that many parts of the country are at higher elevations. So far, these are the altitudes of the USA's three venues:

Tshwane/Pretoria - 4,173 feet
Rustenburg - 3, 786 feet
Bloemfontein - 4,477

That's a grand total of 12,436 feet combined. A slightly note-worthy number, yes?

Consider this: That combined total is nearly 10 times less than the amount that Michael Bradley has run during the first three games of the tournament.

At 39,836 yards (119, 508 feet), he has covered the most territory of any player in the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. But wait - there's more.

The guy with the second most mileage in the tournament is Clint Dempsey (114,354 yards), and third is Landon Donovan (37,470 yards - 112 410 feet).

That probably takes some heart, commitment and effort, eh?

Training News

Today's training weather left little doubt what winter means in this part of the country. Starting the session at 5:30 p.m., the first bag of equipment off the bus contained the jackets, hats and gloves, and with good reason. Temperatures dipped into the mid 30's during the hour-long session, which consisted of the usual pre-game work on team shape and re-starts. Reaching the semifinals of a tournament means one addition to the end of the session - practicing penalties. All 22 players participated, including team captain Carlos Bocanegra, who continues his progression towards full fitness.

There was no wasting time when the coaches signaled the end of training - it may be one of the fastest departures from the stadium.

Speaking of, today's venue was Seida Ramobodu Stadium, the home of Bloemfontein Celtic. Oh yes, that kind of Celtic, straight down to the hoops on the uniform. We tried desperately to get Beas to put on a jersey or wear a scarf, but the veteran is a little too crafty for that.

Regarded as having some of the most passionate fans in South Africa, they were equally passionate about hosting the U.S. team today. Thanks for a great experience. Now if you could just do something about the weather ...

Spain Pre-game Press -- Cliff Notes Version

You don't become the No. 1-ranked team in the world without doing your homework, and you can be sure Spanish coach Vicente Del Bosque is reminding his team about last year's match. While we can't be sure of what he's telling his charges, Spanish press seems to have their own ideas about how to beat us. With links to the articles (so that those of you, like Jozy, can use your Spanish), here's what's being said about tomorrow's match:

AS.com
Headline: Del Bosque: 'U.S. is playing without pressure and that makes them dangerous'
Last quote of the article: "I'm not saying that they won't put us in some tight spots. They've lost two games in which they played a man down, and even so, they made Italy suffer. But when they played with eleven and had their full team, they routed Egypt."

Headline: Sergio Ramos: 'Spain Deserves an Important Final'
Fourth paragraph: "The gaffer made sure to show us video of our rival. This morning we have been getting to know the United States very well. On corners and dead balls, they have big players that can create a lot of danger. We’ll try to counteract their importance."

MARCA.com (A sports daily that is Spain's most widely-read periodical)
Headline: The Secrets of the 'Darkhorse' of the Confederations Cup
Second to last paragraph: "In terms of their weak points, there are a definite few and Del Bosque already has them in mind. The defensive level of the North Americans is pretty fragile. The central defensive pair leaves much to be desired and is pretty slow, something that the Torres-Villa duo can take advantage of. Set pieces are not their strength either, something that Spain has improved upon lately thanks to their strategic play."

Third to last paragraph: "[Spain] will have to be cautious of the U.S. counterattacks and Bradley's late runs into the box. Also, they will have to be wary of the possible forward runs from Spector on the widths. The West Ham defender has a strong offensive mindset."

Countdown, But Not Out

3+3+3

That was the equation U.S. head coach Bob Bradley kept in mind heading into the team’s final group match against Egypt.

Three points.
Three U.S. goals.
Three goals from Brazil.

If those events occurred, the United States could earn a place in the semifinals of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup. During the course of 95 minutes on Sunday night, Bradley kept an eye on all three, thanks to the work of assistant coach John Hackworth and a few others behind the scenes. Decisions on tactics, substitutions and strategy in the game hinged on the events taking place both in Rustenburg and Tshwane/Pretoria.

Read the behind-the-scenes account of how the process unfolded by clicking here

Mucho Gusto

A contingent of 15 U.S. players and staff went for a workout this morning and were surprised to find Spanish television stations waiting at the gym. How did they know we were coming?

The answer is they didn't. Turns out members of the Spanish team were there training as well, but in a different part of the gym. The Spanish journalists then camped out at the U.S. hotel, and we must say were among the most polite and respectful of any that we have encountered. Obviously they all wanted a word with Jozy, who was nice enough to do interviews right before the team meeting. And you know what? Jozy's español is pretty darn good...

Weather: Brisk and Rainy

Today's weather has marked a return to the conditions we saw when we arrived in South Africa nearly two weeks ago. It is cold and rainy here in Bloemfontein, so much so that our customary pre-game training session in the stadium has been moved away from Free State Stadium so as to keep the field in good condition for tomorrow night. There's a lower chance of rain for tomorrow, with hardly any raindrops predicted around game time. It will, however, be in the 30s or 40s. Chilly!

Patches, Pt. 3 - Egypt

First we started with Italy's World Cup winners patch and next we saw Brazil's Copa America trophy. Now we have Egypt and the patch for the six-time African champions...

SportsCenter Highlights

You may have seen USA vs. Egypt early in last night's broadcast on ESPN's SportsCenter. If you didn't, here's another chance:

Fun Stats and Player Ratings

Those of you who are following us on Twitter will have seen that we have been enjoying clicking around on the FIFA.com statistics page. In addition to all sorts of interesting tidbits, we found that:

• Michael Bradley covered the most distance of any player on the field (7.9 miles) in the last game.
• Egypt's pass-completion percentage took a drastic turn for the worse against the U.S., dropping to 73% from previous games of 88% and 82%.
• Tim Howard also has the most saves of any goalkeeper in the tournament, with 17.

FIFA.com also has a new Player Ratings Index, which you can learn about by watching the short video here.

• Clint Dempsey (8.26 out of 10) and Michael Bradley (8.19) are the two American representatives in the index's Top 11 players.
• Dempsey is ranked second overall amongst mifielders, behind Kaká at 8.84.
  
• No prize for guessing the top two ranked players. Spain's Fernando Torres and David Villa sport tournament bests of 8.91 and 9.03, respectively.

Programming Change!

The U.S. MNT vs. Spain has been switched from Telefutura to Univision, so be sure to update your DVR settings accordingly! The game is also still live on ESPN, so no change there.

Here is the complete info on the Spanish-language broadcast:

Univision - Spain vs. USA
FIFA Confederations Cup - Semifinal
Wednesday June 24
LIVE: 2:25p - 4:30p ET
REPLAY: 11:25a - 1:30p PT

TeleFutura - Brazil vs. South Africa
FIFA Confederations Cup - Semifinal
Thursday June 25
2:25p - 4:30p ET
11:25a - 1:30p PT

Travel Day Notes

• The team took a 55-minute charter flight from Pilanesberg International Airport to Bloemfountain this afternoon, arriving shortly after 5 p.m. local time
• Spanish t.v. crews were on hand to film the team's arrival, which included a greeting from Mayor Playfair Morule and a performance from local singers and dancers
  
• U.S. defender Danny Califf has been given permission to depart from camp to attend to a family matter
• The region has been experiencing heavy rains, which may preclude the U.S. team from training at the Free State Stadium tomorrow. Spain has the advantage of having played their last two group matches here, as well as getting an extra day's rest

A Few More Pictures from Rustenberg

In a previous post we detailed our few days at the lodge in Rustenberg, here are a few more pics for you guys to enjoy:A few of the guys went on a safari this morning before our departure to Bloemfontein (we'll have more on that in an upcoming Studio 90 show)...

Post-Game Reaction

Read what the U.S. team had to say following the stunning 3-0 victory against Egypt.

And as a bonus, here's a bit from the La Gazzetta Dello Sport, otherwise known as 'the pink bible' in Italy because of the color of its paper and the wide circulation:

"The USA scored once, then twice more to put us back in the running. All we needed was one little goal to go through. We go home from the Confederations Cup with our heads down, crushed by Brazil. The USA displayed vivacious and tactically wise soccer, scoring three goals and wasting at least three others. Donovan was uncontainable, the heroic efforts of El Hadary in goal were not enough."

What We Haven't Told You (Since You Don't Like Zebras)

For the last two days, the team stayed at the Bakubung Lodge outside Rustenberg that is situated in the middle of a game reserve. Within 50 feet of the restaurant patio you can see warthogs, exotic birds, and the occasional elephant grazing and drinking from a waterhole. Exotic birds wander comfortably in search of scraps. There's even a television channel dedicated to a live camera of the area in front of the hotel so you can keep an eye on whatever animals may be wandering by.

And then there's the monkeys. As friendly as they are fearless, these little guys would sit next to players in a chair by the pool, and then snatch any piece of food that wasn't guarded. And then have the nerve to eat it right in front of you! It made for some very interesting moments, particularly for one member of the staff who appears to have a phobia about animals of all shapes and sizes. That made for a two-day effort of trying to scare him at every turn.

The environment turned out to be a perfect tonic for the players to get rested and focused for the Egypt match. The weather is simply excellent in this part of the country at the moment, with day-time temps in the low 70's and not a cloud in the sky. So far we have witnessed cold and rain in Pretoria, varying temperature swings, and now the move to Bloemfontein where it is supposed to be 10 degrees cooler. All part of the total experience that hopefully gives us a leg up if we make it back next year.

Oh, what the heck. We'll give you another chance ...

See It All: Highlights from ESPN

First with USA vs. Egypt:

And then Brazil vs. Italy:

Today in Photos

Some great shots of the U.S. from South Africa ... more here at ussoccer.com

U.S. Through to the Semifinals!

Up next, the U.S. faces Spain after all the cards fell and the U.S. defeated Egypt 3-0 coupled with a 3-0 win by Brazil against Italy.

The semifinals take place on Wednesday, broadcast live on ESPN and TeleFutura at 2:25 p.m. ET. If you're stuck at work, follow via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, or at twitter.com/ussoccer.

The U.S. will at least get two more matches, as there is both a final and third-place match.

Here's how it happened:
USA Goal - Charlie Davies - 21st minute: Scramble in the box goes in.
Brazil Goal - Luis Fabiano - 37th minute: Fabiano beats the trap on a through ball from Maicon.
Brazil Goal - Fabiano - 43rd minute: Goal on the counter attack.
Brazil Goal - Italy own goal - 45th minute: Robinho plays in a low cross and Dossena puts it in his own net.
USA Goal - Michael Bradley - 63rd minute: Great counter attack and Donovan with the assist.
USA Goal - Clint Dempsey - 71st minute: Spector whips in a cross and Dempsey, who was just moved to forward, heads it in.

We'll leave the rest to you for now -- check back later for reaction, photos, and ... if you're lucky ... a photo of a zebra.

U.S. Starters vs. Egypt

2-Jonathan Bornstein
5-Oguchi Onyewu
8-Clint Dempsey
9-Charlie Davies
10-Landon Donovan (capt.)
12-Michael Bradley
13-Ricardo Clark
15-Jay DeMerit
17-Jozy Altidore
18-Brad Guzan
21-Jonathan Spector

Three changes to the lineup that started against Brazil, with Charlie Davies and Brad Guzan getting their first starts of the tournament while Ricardo Clark returns to the lineup. Donovan makes his 113th appearance and passes Reyna for fourth on the all-time list behind Balboa (128), Agoos (134) and Jones (164).

Pre-Game Primer

You can read the full edition of the pre-game press notes here. Some interesting tidbits:

The shutout by Brazil ended the second longest streak of consecutive games with a goal for the U.S. at 15 games. The U.S. was shut out for the first time since a 0-0 draw against Argentina in 2008.The record for consecutive games scoring for the U.S. is 23, from May 13, 2004, until July 9, 2005.

The Brazil match was just the sixth time in 40 games under Bradley that the U.S. has surrendered three or more goals, with top-five teams accounting for four occurrences (Argentina, Italy and Brazil twice).

The U.S. and Egypt have only faced each other once, with that meeting coming more than 22 years ago on June 8, 1987, in Seoul, South Korea. The U.S. was defeated 3-1 in that match.

Though the Men’s National Teams of the United States and Egypt have met only once, a handful of players on the U.S. have experience against the Pharaohs at the U-20 level. At the 2001 FIFA U-20 World Cup, Onyewu, Beasley and Donovan all lined up against Egypt in the second round, where they fell 2-0 and were knocked out of the tournament. In the 2005 edition of the tournament, Benny Feilhaber, Sacha Kljestan and Freddy Adu took on Egypt in group play where Adu provided the assist on the game’s only goal as the U.S. won its group.

In history, the U.S. has only faced African opponents 11 times, with a 4-5-2 overall record. The U.S. has posted the four wins against South Africa (twice), Nigeria and Cote d'Ivoire.

Patches, Pt. 2

The other day we pointed out the different patches of the different confederations taking part in this tournament. The last game against Brazil, the reigning CONMEBOL champions, naturaly featured a different patch. Here's what it looked like:

Pre-Game Presser

Read quotes from Bob Bradley and Landon Donovan from today's pre-match press conference.

(And listen to the podcast here...)

Egyptian Connection

While the entire team is hungry for a result in the last game, at least one person on the staff has an uniquely personal reason for wanting a victory. U.S. goalkeeper coach Zak Abdel is a native of Mehalla, Egypt. His playing career included 16 years at Gazl-el-Mhella as well as time with Egyptian Olympic Team. Abdel faced current Egypt head coach Hasan Shehata in the Egyptian Premier League - even broke his ribs once! - and also played alongside their assistant coach Shwaky Gharib for 15 years with Gazl-el-Mhella. The two grew up on the same street, and will now sit on opposite benches tomorrow night.

Zak has been doing interviews for the last week with the Arab press. No surprise that Abdel is fully in the USA's corner, but the press were disappointed to learn that his family back home will also be firmly behind the U.S. team.

Bocanegra Update

Carlos Bocanegra continues to improve and will undergo a fitness evaluation during tomorrow's afternoon stadium training session at Royal Bafokeng Stadium. No other injuries to report.

Slight Change of Scenery

Slightly different, indeed. The team is now based at the Bakubung Lodge, which is situated in the middle of the Pilansberg National Park. One of these fellas stood near the entrance to the lodge on the way in, one of many different species of wildlife that populate the surrounding area. It's a refreshing change of scenery, to say the least.

On The Road To Rustenberg

After 10 days at the Protea Waterfront Hotel in Centurion, the players shared some warm moments with all of the staff who looked after the group. From chefs, housekeeping, front desk and waiters alike, they welcomed the U.S. team as family, and the sent them off with an enthusiastic burst of songs and smiles. It's always a little bit humbling to see how you can touch people's lives, even in a small way, and feel a genuine bond with your hosts in a strange land.

The team caravan is heading northwest on the way to Rustenberg, a three-hour drive that passes by Johannesburg before branching out through open country. The group is divided between two buses. Can't speak for what's happening on the other one, but in the lead vehicle players and staff are watching a DVD of the Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United.

Still Alive in the Tournament

With Egypt's 1-0 win against Italy tonight, the U.S. is still in contention to advance in the tournament. The U.S. would need a three-goal victory against Egypt, combined with Italy losing by at least three goals or the U.S. and Brazil's combined margin of victory on Sunday must be seven goals or greater.

As it currently stands, Brazil leads Group B with six points, Italy and Egypt are on three each, and the U.S. is in fourth place.

Bottom line, the U.S. still has a role to play in this group.

U.S. Lineup vs. Brazil

Here are the starters for today's game against Brazil:
1-Howard, 2-Bornstein, 5-Oguchi Onyewu, 7-DaMarcus Beasley, 8-Clint Dempsey, 10-Landon Donovan, 12-Michael Bradley, 15-Jay DeMerit, 16-Sacha Kljestan, 17-Jozy Altidore, 21-Jonathan Spector

• All other players make the bench, with Ricardo Clark suspended.
• Bornstein is carrying a yellow card from the first game, and will miss the next match if booked.
  

Brazil's Lineup:
1-Julio Cesar, 2-Maicon, 3-Lucio (c), 5-Felipe Melo, 8-Gilberto Silva, 9-Luis Fabiano, 10-Kaka, 11-Robinho, 15-Miranda, 16-Andre Santos, 18-Ramires

• Nobody on Brazil is carrying a yellow card.
• Defender, Juan, who started the last match, is listed as injured.
  

In the Locker Room

We've arrived at Loftus Versfeld and made our way into the locker room as the team awaits warm-ups. It's the same locker room we used during the last game, and guys are going through the usual pre-game rituals. Headphones are on, while some guys are getting work done on the treatment table. We're on the floor in one of the corners, if you must know. The U.S. will be wearing all white again today and we'll be back soon with the lineups...

From the Inside Out - with Jonathan Spector

Today's match against Brazil doesn't feel different that any other game in terms of our approach. We go out trying to win every time we step on the field. Clearly it's an important game for us. Realistically, we need a win to stay alive.

The Italy game is behind us. We were frustrated not to get a result, especially since we felt like we were playing very well prior to the red card. After that, we still went up 1-0 and created some good chances. We knew it was going to be long fight with a man down for that long, and unfortunately we ran out of steam defending against that much sustained pressure. Even so, we still had a couple opportunities at the end. We feel confident that we can compete with the best teams in the world.

That moment is over, and there has only been a short time to recover to prepare for a difficult game against Brazil. In some ways it's good that there is no time to dwell; we now have the chance to put right the disappointment.

On game days, I don't really start preparing until we are on the way to the stadium. You don't want to wear yourself out mentally too much. When we get on the bus, I start to focus and envision what it's going to take for us to be successful.

For me personally, these games present great challenges to test myself against some unbelievable players. Against Italy it was Grosso, and tonight it could be the likes of Kaka, Robinho and Kleber. While they are very talented, we don't give than anymore respect than anyone else. As a player, you want to have a chance to stand up to the best. And for the team, it gives you a great picture of what the toughest matches in the world will be like. It's another great experience as we move forward.

Clark Suspension Stays at One Game

The FIFA Disciplinary Committee ruled today that Ricardo Clark will only serve a one-match ban following his sending off against Italy. The U.S. team submitted an appeal on Clark's behalf, which included statements from Italian players - including Gattuso - saying they thought the foul only deserved a yellow card. Clark will now be available for the final group match against Egypt.

Patches of Indigenous Confederations

Whenever we play in a competition or a tournament, we get patches to put on our jerseys. This time, however, each team's patch comes with a unique twist:
As you can see, our patch says 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Champions (that's Landon's jersey before the last game) - it shows how we gained entry into the tournament. Each team's patch has the trophy from their confederation's continental championship...AFC, UEFA, and so on...Today we'll see the CONEMBOL patch when we play Brazil...

Italy can go one better, though. Check out their patch:
Pretty neat stuff, if you ask us. We've seen a fair amount of jersey patches in our days, but these ones probably take the cake. Certainly it'll make that Pirlo jersey that DeMerit traded for that much cooler...

Happy Anniversary

2-0.

Stiff Competition

Talk about a schedule of preparation for the World Cup and beyond! If playing against the best is the right path to elevating a national program, consider this:

• Thursday’s match against FIFA No. 5 Brazil will be the sixth time the U.S. has faced a team ranked in the top five since the start of 2007.
  
• Thursday will also be the second time under Bradley that the U.S. has faced teams ranked in the top five in back-to-back games in less than a week. The U.S. lost 1-0 at No. 4 Spain on June 4, 2008, before returning home to draw No. 1 Argentina 0-0 on June 8.
• With its victory today against Iraq, Spain has now gone 34 matches without a loss - one shy of the record set by Brazil - and won 14 straight matches, tying the record set by Australia, Brazil and France
  
• During the two stints under Marcello Lippi, Italy has lost only once in their last 37 matches. That defeat was a 2-0 loss to Brazil this past February
  

A Sample of Night Before Game Activity

• The coaching staff is sitting in the hotel lounge watching South Africa-New Zealand
• Jay DeMerit and Conor Casey in the players lounge dueling in backgammon - not allowed to report who is winning
• Brad Guzan reading news and sending e-mails back home
• Landon Donovan swapping stories with the DS agent assigned to the team from the State Department
  
• Several players rotating through in the training room getting massages
  

Let's Hope You Don't Need Towels

Or anything else from the hotel staff, for that matter. Everyone is glued to the t.v. watching South Africa-New Zealand. You felt the collective roar followed by disappointment after the Bafana Bafana's disallowed goal.

(Editor's Note - the above reference could fairly be described as hyperbole. We're sure we could get towels if we need them.)

We And Our Big Mouths

Never fails. As soon as we talk about good weather, the thunder rolled in and the skies have opened up for what is now expected to be a lengthy storm. Chances of rain tomorrow afternoon are 30%.

Or 100% if we mention it again!

Pre-Match Presser

Here is audio from today's press conference with Bob Bradley and Landon Donovan held at the team hotel in Tshwane/Pretoria.

Listen here or read here

Training Update

The last session before the Brazil match is now complete, and the team is going through video sessions as we write. Carlos Bocanegra trained with the full team for the entire hour, and will once again be a game-day decision. Training was back at Pilditch Stadium today, since teams are only allowed one session in the official match venue.

There has been a truly international flavor from the media the last two days, with crews from as far apart as Australia, Indonesia, Brazil and Canada covering the U.S. team. The Brazilians have been quick to point out the USA's performance against Italy and their history of competing against Brazil as reasons they are not taking the U.S. lightly.

The weather has turned fabulous during the last few days, with clear and sunny skies allowing temperatures to reach near 70 degrees. The mood in the camp is equally clear; the disappoint of Monday's result having given way to the promise of another opportunity.

Life is All About Timing

According to the Associated Press, FIFA will give away free tickets to soccer fans in South Africa at the Confederations Cup.

FIFA spokesman Nicolas Maingot says “there will be a number of complimentary tickets actually handed to institutions, institutions which have been very supportive of the event.” Schools and local authorities will be among the recipients of the free tickets.

While the crowds have been very loud and enthusiastic, there have been seats still available. Seems like a great way to give back...

Matchday 2 in Group A

All eyes in South Africa are focused on the Bafana Bafana tonight and their match against New Zealand. With Spain still waiting on the horizon, a victory is critical for South Africa's hopes of advancing to the semifinals. Great news for the squad that Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar is expected to be back in the lineup after missing the opening match due to injury. The Bafana Bafana have one point following their 0-0 draw against Iraq in the opening match of the tournament, and they are under a tremendous amount of pressure from fans and media to get a result. "We all know what this game means for the country," said defender Matthew Booth. "The game against New Zealand is a must-win for both teams as we drew and they lost."

The South Africans are cautious not to underestimate New Zealand, who were pounded by Spain 5-0 in their first match.

In the first match of the day, Spain has a chance to inch one step closer to history when they take on Iraq. The European champions are currently riding a remarkable 33-match unbeaten run, two shy of Brazil's all-time record of 35.

A Spanish victory would also extend their winning streak to 14 matches, tying the all-time record for successive victories set by France, Brazil and Australia.

All_Access Video - Looking Back and Forward

In case you missed, Tuesday's All_Access Videos featured Landon Donovan and Tim Howard looking back on the Italy game, while Bob Bradley, Carlos Bocanegra and DaMarcus Beasley spoke to the media about the quick turnaround and getting ready to face Brazil.

Both features can be found in the all_access player on ussoccer.com

Attack of the Vuvuzelas

We spoke earlier of the vuvuzelas, the rather distinct sounding horns carried by the South African soccer faithful. No doubt you heard the cacophony of sounds throughout the broadcasts of the Confederations Cup matches, which bear a tormenting resemblance to the instruments played at matches for our neighbors to the south.

To be placed in the category of good intentions, our hotel decided to give the players vuvuzelas as both a token of appreciation as well as a gift of local import. The result of their generosity was a symphony of bad horn playing that provoked rather unpleasant memories of that persistent performance at games involving you know who.

Ah well. It's the thought that counts, right?

Some USA-Brazil To Get It Going

Remember the electric crowd at Soldier Field? Landon Donovan setting the single-year point scoring record for the U.S.? Carlos Bocanegra and Clint Dempsey putting two past Doni, and the unbelievable final 10 minutes? Take a look back at one of the most highly viewed all_access pieces ever, the highlights of the 4-2 match on Sept. 9, 2007 in Chicago.

Bocanegra Back in Training

Amongst the players who took part in the field session this afternoon was team captain Carlos Bocanegra, who participated in football as well as fitness exercises. Sidelined since scoring the game-winning goal against Honduras on June 6 in Chicago, he is in a race to get fit for the match against Brazil on Thursday afternoon.

"We had Carlos in training today. We will look at him overnight and monitor his progress during the next 36 hours."

No other injury concerns in the U.S. camp from last night.

National Holiday in South Africa

June 16 in is national holiday in South Africa. Youth Day commemorates June 16, 1976, when students in Soweto rioted in protest against the introduction of Afrikaans as the language of instruction of half their school curriculum, sparking eight months of violent uprisings across the country. Youth Day is a national holiday in honor of all the young people who lost their lives in the struggle against Apartheid and Bantu Education.

Photos from Last Night's Game

Check out the full photo gallery at ussoccer.com...

Back To Business

Less than nine hours after returning to the team hotel, several players were already back at work for an optional gym session this morning. At lunch the group already appeared to be shaking off the result and moving forward towards the Brazil match, which is already just more than 48 hours away. This afternoon, the players that started the game will go through a regeneration session while the reserves return to Pilditch Stadium for an afternoon workout.

They Said It

Post-Match quotes from the U.S team following last night's match:

Read here

And this from Italy coach Marcello Lippi, who continues his amazing run of success with the defending World Champions, having lost only once in the last 37 matches at the helm:

"I think because they created problems for us with they played, the tension tended to grow. But then in the end, we managed to get the ball and get more into the game. They were well organized and made it quite difficult for us, especially their number five player (Oguchi Onyewu) and 17 (Jozy Altidore), who caused us lots of problems. When their player was sent off, it was not that easy because they are a very strong team, Yes, we won, but it was not easy."

Starting XI vs. Italy

Here are the USA's selections for tonight's starting XI against Italy:

Jozy Altidore
Jonathan Bornstein
Michael Bradley
Ricardo Clark
Jay DeMerit
Clint Dempsey
Landon Donovan - captain
Benny Feilhaber
Tim Howard
Oguchi Onyewu
Jonathan Spector

• All 23 players are allowed to dress and be available for selection
• The U.S. will be wearing an all-white strip
• Italy will dress in special kit for the tournament, wearing blue-brown-brown
• The referee tonight is Pablo Pozo from Chile. At 36 years old, he is the youngest referee in the tournament
  

Game-Day Studio 90

We're on the bus to Loftus Versfeld Stadium, and all the talking from the team is done.

To get you ready, here's today edition of Studio 90, which brings you a behind-the-scenes look at the USA's 2-1 win against Honduras, highlights of the USA's goals from previous Confederations Cups, and sound from yesterday's pre-match press conference. Don't forget to stick around for a special edition of Extra Time, Deuce Style

Watch Studio 90 now

Here's a couple other items for your reading pleasure:

• Landon Donovan looks back on the USA's last meeting with Italy
• News, notes and stats in pre-game press notes
• A history of the U.S. in the Confederations Cup
  

What A Finish!

In what will instantly become of the most memorable games in tournament history, Brazil and Egypt dueled to the end until a last-minute penalty call against Egypt gave Kaka the chance to rescue the result and a claim a 4-3 victory for Brazil. It was a mighty effort for the Pharoahs, bouncing back to score two goals in a minute's time to level at 3-3 and set up the dramatic finish.

The penalty call will be sure to inspire debate, and might even make it's way into ussoccer.com's Referee Week in Review!

Sneak Away on Game Day to Official U.S. Soccer Bars

It's Monday - will the boss really be paying attention? Besides, you can just tell them you are getting prepared for the same schedule in the 2010 FIFA World Cup!

The Official U.S. Soccer Bars will be open and ready to welcome you to watch the U.S. take on Italy for the first time since the 1-1 draw at the 2006 FIFA World Cup. The defending World Cup champions have brought a lot of sizzle, as well as an astonishing record under Marcello Lippi that is sullied by only one loss in their last 36 matches!

Head to bars like the Brewhouse Cafe in Atlanta, the Official U.S. Soccer Bar of the Month for June, and other hot spots around the nation. Kickoff is 2:25 p.m. ET, so it's either a half day or a long lunch!

On This Day in U.S. MNT History

This is the third time the U.S. MNT will have played on June 15, with decidedly different results. The first time out came during the 1998 FIFA World Cup, when the U.S. lost 2-0 to Germany. The second match on this date came at the start of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, when the U.S. trounced Barbados by an 8-0 scoreline to establish the largest margin of victory in team history.

(Also on the this day the Magna Carta was signed in 1215, providing the foundations of the rule of constitutional law, and in 1775 the Continental Army appointed George Washington the Commander in Chief, thus beginning the march towards the birth of a free nation to be called the United States of America.)

Class dismissed.

A Beautiful Day

Like Bono and the boys sang, it is truly a beautiful day here in Pretoria. It's a nearly cloudless sky with temperatures in the mid-60's. One of the little-known facts about South Africa is that much of the country is at elevation, and Pretoria sits nearly 4,600 feet above sea level at its lowest point. The cool, dry air has the feeling of Denver on a calm day.

We're about six hours from kickoff, and the players' floor is predictably quiet. Already two meals and one final meeting into the schedule, the lineup is set and the typical rhythm of game day hums along.

Remember to log on one hour before kickoff to find out the USA's starting XI against Italy. For now, let's hear your predictions!

Five More Did You Knows

• A total of 14 players - five for the U.S. and 9 for Italy - were on the field for the 1-1 draw in the 2006 FIFA World Cup. Carlos Bocanegra and Clint Dempsey made their World Cup debuts that day
  

• Italy coach Marcello Lippi is tied for the record of longest undefeated run as a national team, going 31 games without a defeat to equal the mark set by Javier Clemente of Spain and Alfio Basile of Argentina. Spanning two managerial stints and including the championship in the 2006 World Cup, the streak ended with a 2-0 loss to Brazil in February of this year.

• The USA scored for the 14th consecutive match in their last qualifier for South Africa 2010, a 2-1 home triumph against Honduras. The last time the United States failed to get a goal was the thrilling 0-0 stalemate against then-No. 1 ranked Argentina on June 8, 2008, in New Jersey.
  

• The opening matches played by the USA in each of their three previous campaigns at the FIFA Confederations Cup have all produced three goals. The U.S. lost 3-0 to Saudi Arabia in 1992, beat New Zealand 2-1 in 1999 and lost 2-1 to Turkey in 2003.

• This is the first time in FCC history that three of the top five ranked teams are in the tournament together - and the U.S. plays two of them. Italy is currently ranked #4, while Brazil rounds out the top five.
  

Training At Loftus Versfeld

The team got their first look at the venue that will host Monday's match against Italy, and the setting was quite impressive. The pitch is pretty slick when wet, which always gets the players juiced up because the ball gets moving quickly. The 45-minute session was open for the first 15 minutes for cameras, then the group worked on shape and re-starts. Loftus has a capacity of around 45,000, and with about 30,000 expected there should be a good energy inside the stadium. Each game has a different vibe to it, and with little things like extra cameras, loads of security, tournament signage, and the ever-demanding process of keeping preying eyes away from training, it had the feel of a big-time event about to happen.

The site on which Loftus Versfeld is located was first used for sport in 1903. It was named after Mr Robert Owen Loftus Versfeld, who is attributed with establishing organized sport in Pretoria. It has been used for numerous sports events including the 1995 Rugby World Cup and 1996 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. It is now used by Mamelodi Sundowns as their home ground.

Carlos A Question

U.S. team captain Carlos Bocanegra remains a question mark for tomorrow night's match against Italy as he continues to recover from a strained hamstring suffered during the USA's 2-1 against Honduras on June 6 in Chicago. Carlos scored the game-winning goal that night, his second game decider in the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualifyng campaign.

The coaching staff will decide tomorrow if Bocanegra is healthy enough to go.

Bayern Buddies

As is traditional on the day before a match, the U.S. holds a pre-match press conference at the stadium just prior to training. Today's participants were Bob Bradley, Tim Howard and Landon Donovan, which means they leave 45 minutes ahead of the team. As we arrived at Loftus Stadium, the Italian team was on the way out of their session. Standing at the door and warmly greeting the arrivals was Italy coach Marcello Lippi, and as Landon passed through he ran into Luca Toni, his former teammate at Bayern Munich. Toni sounded like he spoke decent English; and in case you forgot from the 2006 World Cup, the man is enormous. Slighty amusing watching Landon literally have to look up at him. Way up.

We will have sound and video from the presser into tomorrow's edition of Studio 90.

The Show Has Begun

South African national broadcaster SABC has broadcast two hours of live coverage prior to the start of Opening Ceremonies. Everything from stadium profiles, traffic sign education (they created hundreds of new ones for the tournament), weather updates (it's absolutely perfect at the moment), cultural history, music videos and fan activities in the host cities.

Fans were already in line when the gates opened four hours before kickoff, armed with vuvuzelas, a South African horn instrument that is a staple of football fans here. There is no doubt that the pride of South Africa is on display today.