The United States can be considered something of a dark horse for the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, says the New York Times’ Jack Bell. For the first time ever, the U.S. U-23 team will be made up exclusively of professional players, most of whom play in MLS. It’s also a young team made up of several alumni from last summer’s U-20 World Cup in Canada, including Freddy Adu, Jozy Altidore, Sal Zizzo, Nathan Sturgis and Chris Seitz.
Adu, who plays with Benfica in Portugal, says the Americans’ experience at the U-20 World Cup will help their preparations for this summer’s Olympics. “That just proved we can play with the best teams in the world,” he said. “If we go out there, do what the coach asks us to and play our game, we know that we can compete.”
Of course, before the U.S. can officially be labeled the tournament dark horse, there’s the small matter of qualification, which begins Tuesday against Cuba. If the U.S. qualifies, Adu will be one of the most closely watched players at the tournament, along with the New York Red Bulls’ Jozy Altidore. Coach Peter Nowak, who used to coach Adu when he was at D.C. United, believes the youngster has matured since moving to Benfica. “He sees things right now, things he didn’t see before. That’s what’s made me happy,” Nowak said. Similarly, Adu feels he’s now being treated like a full-fledged professional. “[Nowak is] giving me advice, not telling me what to do,” says Adu. “It’s a huge difference, and I really like it. He’s allowing me to be myself, and that’s been great.”