They’ve had their shots, nearly a dozen apiece, to ward off hepatitis and yellow fever and malaria and meningitis. They’ve listened to the tales, how they just might be headed for the most miserable place on the planet. And they’ve done their best to assuage the fears of family and friends terrified by the adventure that awaits them. The United States’ Under-20 team believes it knows what it is in for when it treks to Nigeria for the World Youth Championship, but that, frankly, is the least of its concerns. If the world’s focus leading to the tournament’s April 3 start is on the squalor, crime and disease that have come to define Africa’s largest land, the Americans don’t want to think about it. They’re busy with the task at hand. “I think Nigeria will probably be the worst place we’ve been, but we’re not going to let that bother us,” declares midfielder Nick Downing. “We’re there to do a job and get out of there, and pretty much that’s what we’re trying to do. … “It’s not going to be pleasant, I don’t think, but at the same time, we’re playing in the world championship.” That they are, and they bring with them lofty aspirations, particularly in view of the United States’ history in this event. The 1989 squad, guided by a phenomenal Kasey Keller performance in the nets, reached the semifinals; other U.S. teams have finished 15th, 11th, 11th, eighth and 15th. Accordingly, the world — even America — doesn’t expect a whole lot from Sigi Schmid’s squad. “Coach said there was a big cheer from the English when we were drawn into [Group E with England, Cameroon and Japan],” striker Chris Albright says. “People are definitely happy to be playing us. People are looking at the U.S. as a win, as three points.” Schmid agrees. “Certainly, that’s the way many people are looking at it,” he says. “One of the things I’ve told this team is that they are all pros. … You’re a pro who happens to play for Indiana [University] going against a pro guy who happens to play for Barcelona. “I feel we can play with those guys.” Doing so consistently is the test. Aside from ’89, the Yanks have managed to play about one strong game per tournament, not nearly enough to leave a favorable impression. Schmid, who has won three NCAA titles at UCLA, expects more from his boys. “I think we have a reasonable chance,” he says. “I think our chances rest with our own competitiveness, and that’s something I have faith in. “I don’t feel there’s ever an easy group, but I feel all the teams in our group are teams we can compete with. There’s no Argentina in there, no Brazil or even Ireland in there — they might be a bit beyond us.” Schmid has worked the past 15 months building a collection of college stars and young pros — three Project-40 players, plus Steve Cherundolo, playing in Germany, and John Thorington, with Manchester United — into a unit that might be capable of pulling off a surprise or two in Nigeria. “We’ve set certain goals for ourselves,” Schmid says. “We want to finish the tournament with a winning record; we want to give up less than a goal a game; we want to score more than a goal a game; we want more than one shutout. No [U.S.] under-20 team has ever done that in the past. Even [the 1989 team] finished with a losing record. If we accomplish that, it’ll be a success. “If we have a winning record, that means we’ll probably advance and push forward into the later rounds. Does it mean we’ll win the tournament? No, but that’s in the back of our minds.” Strength down the middle The Yanks will use a 3-5-2 formation, “but we’re pretty flexible out of that,” Schmid says. “Sometimes it looks like a 4-4-2 or a 3-4-3.” He’s got good depth in the nets, in the back and in midfield — giving him plenty of options — and his top two forwards have proven adept, if a tad inconsistent, at scoring. How the Americans line up: Goalkeeper: Tim Howard and Nick Rimando offer an either/or proposition. Both are solid, but their talents are dissimilar. Howard is a big, strong keeper, good on crosses; Rimando is flashier, extremely agile, better with his feet. Howard likely gets the call against physical, airborne foes, Rimando against possession-oriented opponents. Defenders: The Americans play a three-man zone with sweeper and markers, Cherundolo behind Carlos Bocanegra on the left and Dan Califf on the right. Midfielders: Two ball-winners — Nick Garcia and either Downing or Rusty Pierce — are in front of the defense, with an attacking midfielder in front of them and two wingers. Pierce or Downing can play wide, but Matt Goldsmith and Cory Gibbs are the top choices on the left. Thorington is on the right. Francisco Gomez is in the attacking slot unless Schmid decides to play Garcia, Downing and Pierce in the middle; Ryan Futagaki and Shaun Tsakiris also could be the attacking midfielder. Forwards: Albright and Jamar Beasley offer the best tandem, a blend of strength and speed, and they combined for 37 goals during preparation. Taylor Twellman also is an option; his work rate is outstanding, but he’s managed only one goal in 14 matches. “The heart of the team down the middle has to play well for us to be successful,” Schmid says. “Certainly Cherundolo and Garcia are important to us, and so is Albright. Aside from them, we really need a Beasley or a Francisco Gomez or a Shaun Tsakiris to come up with a big tournament.” Goal drought must end Schmid is confident in his defense, but his attack has been spotty at times — he’s looking for far better possession — and the Yanks head to Nigeria with just one goal in their previous three internationals. “I think we showed in CONCACAF [qualifying] we had a good ability to rise to the occasion,” he says. “When you’re in for the real thing, it’s about the strength of character a team has, and that’s one of the things I’m very confident about with this team. Whenever we are challenged, we respond very well.” “We have strong chemistry,” says Garcia. “Our communication on and off the field is great, and we complement each other.” That could prove most beneficial considering what the Yanks will have to deal with in Nigeria. They’ll be confined to the team hotels — in Kano and Bauchi, in the north, for the first round — except when in training or games or during one planned trip to a wildlife preserve. U.S. Soccer is providing a chef (former U.S. national teamer Lucas Martin, who played in the ’87 World Youth Championship) and a good deal of the food for the delegation. Players are bringing videos, Playstations and Nintendo 64s. “There won’t be a lot of free time to go wandering,” Schmid says. “It’s not the kind of place where you drop everyone off and say meet back at the bus in three hours.” Schmid has tried to prepare his players for the abject poverty they will see in Nigeria, warned them of potential trouble. And all those shots made the health risks pretty clear. “Some of them were for things I’d never heard of, but you’ve got to deal with it,” Albright says. “If you’re worrying about it, then your mind’s not in the right place. … The bottom line is you’re there to play soccer, not worry about diseases and stuff.” That’s where the Americans say their focus lies, a must if they’re to have any shot at their aspirations. “Realistically,” Garcia says, “we’d like to be in the final. But we know it would be a tough road to get there. If we take it one game at a time, come out [first or second in our group] and proceed to the next round, I think that would be a great step. If we do that, hopefully we’ll get through to the semifinals, maybe to the final. “You have to have a little bit of luck in there, too, and you have to get along on and off the field, with everyone strong mentally and physically. I think we can do it.” By Soccer America Senior Editor Scott French