US men's soccer team arrives in Tianjin for Olympics
4/8/2008 16:58
The Unites States Olympic men's soccer team arrived in Tianjin, a co-host
city adjacent to Beijing, today to finalize preparation for the Olympics.
The
US team, in Group B with Japan, Netherlands and Nigeria, will kick off its
opening match against Japan on Aug. 7.
"It's no secret that we have a
difficult challenge in front of us with our group, which is one of the most
difficult in the tournament," Coach Peter Nowak said.
Three-time World Cup
veteran Brian McBride, just returning from his international retirement, will
play for the team at the Olympics. Nowak also enlisted goalkeeper Brad Guzan and
defender Michael Parkhurst as over-age players in his squad.
Selecting the
Olympic squad was tricky because the Olympics overlap with World Cup qualifying
for the US national team.
"We're trying to accommodate the Olympic team, but
we need to also keep in mind it's an important time for the senior team," Nowak
said. "We need to make sure we field two competitive teams."
A total of 11
players were part of the US squad that booked the team's ticket to Beijing in
March by finishing in second place in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying
Tournament.
Eight different leagues from around the world are represented on
the US roster, including the US Major League Soccer, which sends 10 players from
six teams.
"We are very excited about the players that we have chosen to
represent the United States at the Olympic Games," Nowak said.
Xinhua
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