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Obama wishes US soccer team luck in World Cup
(Agencies)
Updated: 2010-05-28 16:28
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US President Barack Obama (C), Vice President Joe Biden (Center L) and former President Bill Clinton (Center R) welcome the US soccer team to the North Portico of the White House in Washington, May 27, 2010. [Agencies] |
More than 48,000 tickets have been sold for Saturday's game, the next-to-last warmup before the US opens against England.
"We've been working really hard to get ready for the World Cup," midfielder Clint Dempsey said. "I think the team is confident. It would be nice to go into South Africa with a solid performance against Turkey. We'll be ready to play Saturday, and I think the guys on this team believe in each other and what we're trying to accomplish."
While Howard, Dempsey and Landon Donovan were given the night off for Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Czech Republic in East Hartford, Conn., the lineup Saturday should be closer to the team's first-choice selection.
The other first-round games, against Slovenia on June 18 and versus Algeria on June 23, are too far off to think about.
"We're focused on Saturday, first and foremost," Howard said. "Then we're focused on England. We can't worry about what might happen beyond that. I think we're in the right frame of mind as we get ready to start the World Cup."
