Reports of mysterious or odd injuries have been continuing to trickle out of the Czech camp since the European side's arrival in Germany.

Midfielder Vladimir Smicer's campaign has ended up before it kicks off as the Bordeaux regular decided late in last month to withdraw from the tournament due to a hamstring injury and has been replaced Saturday by Glasgow Rangers' new boy Libor Sionko in the Czechs' 23-man roster.

Striker Milan Baros of Aston Villa, who has been suffering witha foot injury since last week's warm-up with Trinidad and Tobago, will almost certainly miss Monday's opener, though the Czech coach Karel Bruckner again delayed to decide on him and will wait till Monday.

Also, team leader Pavel Nedved was in possible trouble after limping off the training ground on Thursday.

Head coach of the United States Bruce Arena, however, said that he's not sure if he believes the Czechs has as many injuries as have been reported.

"If you go by the press reports, three or four of their top players are out," Arena said. "I'd guess we're going to see them all on the field Monday."

Even though the suspicion from Arena was true and all doubtful players turned to be fit for Monday's match, the Czechs would definitely play a tough one against the United States.

With fighting spirit, high morale and strong defense, the Americans, whose cries of the lack of respect fall largely on deaf ears around world, have long been considered as a side being overrated.

In 1990, Czechoslovakia crushed the U.S. 5-1 at the World Cup, but the Czech Republic, playing in their first finals as an independent nation, know clearly that the squad has shaped from an inexperienced one to an awoke power in the North American soccer.

Four years ago, the Americans stunned most of the world by shocking Portugal 3-2 in their group opener to survive a tough group and reach the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea.

And this time, in what is actually their fifth consecutive final phase, the Americans, who have never been as strong as it finishing ahead of Mexico in qualifying, find themselves on a comparable level with many of its players now competing in Europe.

They have such exciting players as PSV forward DeMarcus Beasley and experienced youngster Landon Donovan, both prolific goalscorers, and the 16-year-old rising star Freddy Adu, alongside other impressive ones like Brian McBride, Brad Friedel and Claudio Reyna.

Meanwhile, U.S. coach Bruce Arena, an experienced tactician, will drive all the way to create another World Cup show for the fast-paced team.

As one of the soccer powers in Europe the late ten years, the Czechs should have more confidence against the U.S., but their qualifications showed that the Czech Republic, who needed two narrow 1-0 wins against Norway for the berth at the World Cup, were not in top form.

Yet the Czechs is a side highly regarded. With the lucks carrying them through the qualifying campaign, they could make a similar impact in this World Cup like they did two years ago in Portugal where they reached the semifinals of the Euro 2004.

With the towering Jan Koller and Milan Baros in front, the peerless Pavel Nedved returning to line up the midfield alongside Tomas Rosicky, and the classy goalkeeper Petr Cech to amend the inexperienced back-line, the Czechs have all the ingredients to make a dangerous outsider later on in the tournament.

The intelligence of coach Bruckner and a team that youth and experience go hand in hand boost the Czeches' chance for glory.

Czech team's weakness is the lack of consistency, but if only the key players are kept injury-free, their talent could inspire them to advance from the group.