Coming up BIG

The smallest country in the World Cup, Trinidad & Tobago pulled off what will likely be one of the biggest upsets of the tournament Saturday in Dortmund. Led by three-year USL defender Brent Sancho, who was excellent in the back, T&T played heavy favorite Sweden to a 0-0 draw despite playing a man down for nearly the entire second half. Behind several spectacular saves from last minute starting goalkeeper Shaka Hislop and the leadership of Dwight Yorke, the squad continued to control the match and turn away the opportunities Sweden did create. Playing with the disadvantage, former USL striker Stern John did not have many opportunities to give T&T a winner.

In other matches, Argentina defeated a tough Ivory Coast 2-1 and England edged Paraguay 1-0 on an own goal off a David Beckham free kick.

Oh, What A Way to Start

"It was a bad day for soccer naysayers back home in the good ol' US, which means it probably was a good day at the World Cup. Actually, it was a very good day."

Francisco Marcos was in Gelsenkirchen for Poland-Ecuador, check out his coverage of opening day action at the Tampa Tribune >>

Klinsmann Opens with Win

Often criticized for his American influence, the former Orange County Blue Star player Juergen Klinsmann led his German squad to a 4-2 win over Costa Rica in the tournament opener this afternoon in Munich. The match featured several world-class strikes and regular US foe Costa Rica gave the host nation a little bit of a contest with their pair of strikes as well.

Klinsmann, who was working with the Blue Star, began playing for the team in 2003 originally under the alias of Jay Goppingen (the name of his home town) to avoid bringing attention to himself as he was focused on aiding the development of the players as opposed to being an attraction as Romario is in Miami this season. Needless to say, it didn't take long for the word to get around at the time.

Let's Get the Party Going

I am going to the World Cup today, and I can't wait. To say I feel like a kid in a candy store is an understatement. You would think it's my first time. Hardly. As some of you may know, this is the 10th consecutive World Cup I have attended, dating to 1970 in Mexico. That span also includes the 1974 version in what was then West Germany. This year's will games will be played in many of the same places as the 1974 tournament, albeit in new state-of-the-art arenas in 12 cities, including Leipzig in former East Germany.

Marcos reports on the opening of the tournament, the foreign media's early impressions of the US squad off the field and... politics, believe it or not.

Check it out at the Tampa Tribune >>

Last Minute Prep

The US topped World Cup participant Angola 1-0 Monday in a closed-door practice game on a goal from Brian McBride. Trinidad & Tobago fell 3-0 to US group opponent Czech Republic Saturday in which Stern John was the lone player of three USL alum to see action, playing the full 90. On Monday, T&T beat German third division side St Pauli 2-1. Juergen Klinsmann, who recently discussed his post-tournament future with the German National Team, led his squad to a 3-0 win over Colombia Friday.

USsoccer.com Studio 90

This is some great stuff! US Soccer is doing a daily video show on www.ussoccer.com that is comprised of interviews, features and behind-the-scenes footage from Germany. If you get a chance, check it out. US Soccer's official website is also doing a blog and will have regular features on the site like this piece featuring former USL First Division goalkeeper Kasey Keller's first shot at starting in his fourth World Cup.

A Brush with the World Cup

Four current USL players did their part for the World Cup, joining their nation's squads for warm-ups against tournament-bound teams. Despite a recent hamstring injury, Richmond Kickers midfielder Tim Brown came off the bench, after recent starts, for New Zealand in a 4-0 loss to Brazil in Switzerland. A pair of Charleston Battery players, Omar Daley and Shane Crawford, and Harrisburg City Islander Teofore Bennett saw action for Jamaica in a 6-0 loss to England, Trinidad & Tobago's group opponent, at Old Trafford. Daley got the start and played a full 90 while Crawford and Bennett came off the bench in the second half.