THE FINAL QUALIFIER: Arena shuffles for Panama

On Wednesday evening the USA will play its 18th game of the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign. By comparison, teams in Europe play 10 to 12 games, plus two for those forced into a playoff.

The results of USA-Panama (8 pm ET, ESPN2) will affect neither team's World Cup hopes. The Americans clinched in September and Panama sits in the cellar with only two points. A U.S. win or tie would guarantee the Americans second-place in the Hexagonal – an improvement over third-place in the qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup. A U.S. win combined with a Mexico loss to Trinidad & Tobago would give the Americans a first-place finish.

Said U.S. captain Claudio Reyna before the qualifying campaign started: "Last time we finished third, which was good, because it qualified us [for the 2002 World Cup], but I think our goal this time should be to win the group."

But clinching a spot so early — with three games left — gave Coach Bruce Arena a chance to rest several key players, including Claudio Reyna and other foreign-based players who face a rigorous pre-World Cup schedule with their club teams.

So Arena has been testing fringe players and in the previous two games they've failed to score, tying Guatemala (0-0) and losing to Costa Rica (3-0).

One of the players trying to make his case is forward Taylor Twellman, MLS's top American scorer over four seasons who has yet to notch for the USA in 13 U.S. appearances.

In his roster for the Panama game, Arena included only two foreign-based players, goalkeeper Tim Howard (Manchester United) and defender Jonathan Spector (Charlton Athletic). Six New England Revolution players were picked for the game that takes place in the Revs' Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.