USA vs. Germany
(International friendly) Feb. 6 (1:00 pm ET) at Alltel Stadium in Jacksonville, Fla. (Television: ABC live; delayed on west coast)
HISTORY Besides Brazil, Germany is the most successful nation in World Cup play. After its post-World War II expulsion from FIFA kept it out of the 1950 tournament, the Germans — as West Germany — qualified for and won the 1954 World Cup. It has qualified for every World Cup since, reaching the final five more times and winning again in 1974 and 1990. In 1996, Germany won its record third European Championship, marking its first title since the nation was reunified in October of 1990. But now the team finds itself in the midst of a crisis whose beginning is marked by its quarterfinal exit at France ’98.
LAST 10 INTERNATIONALS | 6/15/98 — USA 2-0 (World Cup). |
| 6/21/98 — Yugoslavia 1-1 (World Cup). |
| 6/25/98 — Iran 2-0 (World Cup). |
| 6/29/98 — Mexico 2-1 (World Cup). |
| 7/4/98 — Croatia 0-3 (World Cup). |
| 9/2/98 — at Malta 2-1 (friendly). |
| 9/5/98 — Romania 1-1 (friendly). |
| 10/10/98 — at Turkey 0-1 (Euro 2000 qual.). |
| 10/14/98 — at Moldova 3-1 (Euro 2000 qual.). |
| 11/18/98 — Netherlands 1-1 (friendly). |
U.S. SERIES The 1990s have seen the United States collect an impressive list of victories against traditional soccer powers, beating Uruguay, England, Argentina and Brazil. But the Germans have had little problem beating the U.S., whose only goals in the series came late in their first meeting.
| 6/13/93 — Germany 4-3 (U.S. Cup in Chicago). |
| 12/18/93 — Germany 3-0 (friendly in Stanford, Calif.). |
| 6/15/98 — Germany 2-0 (World Cup in St. Denis, France). |
ò Germany leads series 3-0-0.
ROSTER Coach Erich Ribbeck invited into his New Year camp eight men who played in France ’98, but another 12 field players with fewer than five caps. Bayern Munich’s excellent form in the Bundesliga and the European Champions League justifies Ribbeck’s intent to build around a “Bayern axis,” which recalls West Germany’s best team ever, in the 1970s with Beckenbauer, Mueller et al. The Bayern faction could have been even bigger if Stefan Effenberg didn’t decline and Mario Basler didn’t add to his bad work-ethic reputation with a late-night card game before his last appearance. Ulf Kirsten, although with the team in Florida, will not play against the U.S. due to a strained calf. In addition, French club Paris St. Germain is allowing Christian Woerns to play only against Colombia on Feb. 9, so he will not be in action against the U.S. Here is the German roster:
Goalkeepers — Oliver Kahn (Bayern Munich), Jens Lehmann (Borussia Dortmund).
Defenders — Markus Babbel (Bayern Munich), Lothar Matthaeus (Bayern Munich), Marko Rehmer (Hansa Rostock), Christian Woerns (Paris St. Germain, France).
Midfield — Michael Ballack (Kaiserslautern), Stefan Beinlich (Bayer Leverkusen), Jens Jeremies (Bayern Munich), Andreas Moeller (Borussia Dortmund), Christian Nerlinger (Borussia Dortmund), Carsten Ramelow (Bayer Leverkusen), Marco Reich (Kaiserslautern), Lars Ricken (Borussia Dortmund), Bernd Schneider (Eintracht Frankfurt).
Strikers — Marco Bode (Werder Bremen), Ulf Kirsten (Bayer Leverkusen), Olaf Marschall (Kaiserslautern), Oliver Neuville (Hansa Rostock), Michael Preetz (Hertha Berlin), Alexander Zickler (Bayern Munich).
