SOCCER: U.S. national team faces tough task at Honduras

Within the last 24 hours, the U.S. national soccer team's roster, possible starting lineup and goal for its World Cup 2002 qualifier against Honduras has been dramatically altered.

Looking to miss out on the match are Claudio Reyna, Eddie Pope, Brian McBride and Landon Donovan from injuries. Add in Joe-Max Moore, already injured, and you have five players for the Americans — each of whom was on the roster for its 2-0 win against Mexico with all but Donovan seeing action — that would have been key components now not even making the trip. Reyna's absence could be lessened by the emergence of Clint Mathis in the last two international matches, but Pope and McBride were going to be counted on heavily. What it leaves the Americans with is a clear starting eleven and a clear goal as well.

Goalkeeper may be the toughest spot in the lineup to call, given the international class of both Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller. But for here, the nod goes to Friedel, based on two separate factors.

First off, Friedel was solid in the Mexico game, making a number of key saves in the second half when the outcome was still in doubt. Second, he has been playing and starring regulary for Blackburn Rovers in England while Keller has been in and out of the lineup for his club team, Rayo Vallecano of Spain.

Keller, meanwhile, does have experience going for him in one regard. He was the goalie for a number of the U.S. road qualifiers in preliminary action and did well in all of them. And since the last time Friedel played a road qualifier does not come directly to the mind, Keller could get the call as well. Either way, Arena will have made a solid choice as both goalies are among the top in the region.

In defense, Pope's withdrawl leaves a hole as far as the offensive set pieces are concerned, as well as some speed in the center of defense against a Honduran team that will most likely be looking to attack and score, since they got just one point from its first game, a 2-2 draw with Costa Rica.

On the left side should be David Regis, just like he was in the Mexico match. Jeff Agoos will be in the center paired with Carlos Llamosa, two veterans that both are skilled man-markers. On the right side is one call that will be tough to predict, either Tony Sanneh or Steve Cherundolo getting the call. But with Sanneh having more experience in road qualifiers, he should get the nod.

With Reyna's withdrawl, Mathis becomes the clear playmaking midfielder. While Mathis was a catalyst in the Americans' win against Mexico and was the best U.S. player in its 2-1 loss to Brazil, this will be a new test for the relatively still young player. How he copes with running the U.S. attack, in what will be a beastily unkind atmosphere, will be a key.

Along with Mathis will most likely be automatic choice Chris Armas in the defensive position; Earnie Stewart on the right side and Eddie Lewis on the left side.

Lewis could be the wild card in the whole U.S. side. He has not played in any international games for a while and is coming off, in those games, a series of subar performances, to put it best. Could Lewis provide the type of wide left service that the U.S. desires, it will help give a balance to the American attack that could trouble Honduras.

And while not giving up goals will be the goal for the U.S., there still is the matter of who will score the goals up front. The withdrawls of Donovan and McBride hurt the U.S. depth-wise, since McBride was a definite starter and Donovan was starting to stake a claim on the spot. Where that leaves the Americans could be with a pair of former Chicago Fire teammates, Josh Wolff and Ante Razov. Wolff was the man of the match against Mexico, scoring the first goal and setting up the second. Razov has been starring for Racing Ferrol in Spain's Second Division.

That starting lineup — Keller or Friedel in goal; Regis, Agoos, Llamosa and Sanneh in defense; Armas, Mathis, Lewis and Stewart in midfield with Wolff and Razov up front — also gives the Americans some options should substitutions come into play.

Cobi Jones could start off the bench and then come in at a variety of positions — both on the left or right side of midfield as well as up front as a forward. Preki, called into the side for bench depth, could spell Mathis as a playmaker should the younger play fail to impress. Sanneh is still coming off an injury, so Cherundolo gives cover at the right back position.

The U.S.'s goal, it could be said, is to try and get an early goal. Whatever it takes, whether a world-class buildup or a defensive mistake on Honduras' part, an early goal would change the game dramatically in the Americans' favor.

A road win here would put the U.S. in great shape with eight game to go in qualifying action. Six points from the first two games is, simply, the best they could have hoped for. But the feeling here is that a win is not in the cards, with a 2-1 Honduras win the prediction.