The US national soccer team started a 12-day training session in Sao Paulo on Tuesday as part of their “dry run” for the upcoming World Cup.
Under tight security, coach Jurgen Klinsmann held an initial practice with his 26 players at the Sao Paulo FC club’s training facility, rated as one of the best in Brazil.
The former star from Germany said his squad includes many young players “who have a point to prove, that they can all go to the World Cup.”
Klinsmann said he came to Sao Paulo on a scouting tour two years ago and decided that Brazil’s economic capital was the best place in terms of hotels and training facility to set up the US base camp for the two-week tournament, which will open on June 12.
After conducting daily workouts and two private scrimmages over the next 12 days, the US team plan to play a friendly against South Korea in Carson, California, on Feb. 1.
Klinsmann acknowledged that the US face a tough group against Germany, Portugal and Ghana and must beat Ghana in the opening game in the northeastern city of Natal on June 16.
“We badly need three points against Ghana and one point against Portugal,” he said.
Travel to northeastern World Cup venues, such as Natal, Recife and Manaus, will be a major challenge, although US players are used to travel long distances at home, he added.
He also expressed confidence that Brazil will rise to the challenge of hosting their first World Cup since 1950, despite concern about delays in readying stadiums and infrastructure projects.
“I’m sure Brazil will make it work,” he said.
As to who will win the World Cup final in Rio’s iconic Maracana stadium on July 13, Klinsmann said: “Brazil, Spain and Germany have these expectations... We don’t.”
However, he stressed that the US squad aim to be “in the top 10, 15 in the world” in the future.
“We are not there yet, but we are working on it… It’s not going to happen overnight,” he told reporters.
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two