ARGENTINA

Serious medal contender

Which Argentine team will show up: the team that buried the U.S. U-23s 3-0 at the 1995 Pan-American Games or the team that the U.S. senior team humiliated by the same score just a few months later at the Copa America?

Most Argentine observers are betting on the former.

Coach Daniel Passarella has selected probably the most experienced team in the tournament. Four players started at World Cup ’94, and nine already have 10 or more caps for the senior team.

Everyone is raving about the young Argentine attack — Hernan Crespo and Claudio Lopez will probably start up front with Ariel Ortega playing just behind them — but it’s the defense that makes Argentina a serious medal contender. All four starters along the backline — Roberto Ayala, Roberto Sensini, Jose Chamot and Javier Zanetti — play in Italy’s Serie A.

The unsung player in the lineup is midfielder Matias Almeyda, who provides balance to the team.

Look for the Argentines to press the U.S. defense early to take the crowd out of the opener in Birmingham.

History: 3 appearances (1 silver: 1928).

Qualifying: Ecuador 6-0, Chile 2-1, Venezuela 3-0, Colombia 4-0, Uruguay 2-0, Venezuela 2-0, Brazil 2-2.

TUNISIA

An enterprising team

Don’t be fooled by Tunisia’s low profile. It is a young team, but the players gained tremendous confidence in reaching the final of the African Nations’ Cup this winter.

Coach Henry Kasperczak has called up eight players from the senior team, including three over-age players (goalie Chokri El Ouaer, midfielder Zoubeir Beya and striker Adel Sellimi).

The player to watch is Beya, who possesses a magic left foot. Sellimi forms a fine partnership on attack with Medhi Ben Slimane and Imed Ben Younes, two 22-year-olds.

Tunisia is the team the United States simply must beat to have any chance of reaching the second round, but the Americans will have to be careful. The Tunisians love to attack on the counter. They’re a very enterprising team, and they’re used to the hot weather.

History: 2 appearances.

Qualifying: Burkina Faso 4-1, 0-1, Togo 1-1, 1-2 (Togo disqualified for using over-age player), Guinea 5-2, 0-2.

PORTUGAL

Where are the strikers?

Portugal is very much Carlos Queiroz’s team. Most played for the MetroStars head coach at the youth level, and 10 of the 18 players were with him last season at Sporting.

Coach Nelo Vingada, whose assistants include former Texas-based youth coach and MLS coaching candidate Tony Simoes, has the same problem that Antonio Oliviera had with the senior team at Euro ’96.

Portugal’s Olympic team is loaded in midfield, but it has trouble scoring. Excluding the two Latvia games, Portugal only managed 10 goals in eight qualifying games.

Striker Paulo Alves was one of three over-age players called up — Italy is the only other European team to use wild cards — and he will probably start up front with Sporting teammate Jose Dominguez.

Vingada should give midfielders like Peixe, French-born Afonso Martins and Nuno Capucho free reign here to test the Americans’ organization.

Portugal, based in Washington, has one advantage. It’s the only team in Group A that doesn’t have to travel during the first round.

History: 1 appearance.

Qualifying: England 0-0, 2-0, Latvia 1-0, 4-0, Ireland 1-1, 3-1, Austria 2-0, 1-0, Italy 1-0, 0-2.