Forum » . Both worked in communications f

SAO PAULO - Landon Donovan says the United States will head to the World Cup with its most experienced group of players, giving the Americans a "real chance" to do well at this years tournament. As the U.S. finishes a week-and-a-half training camp in the host country, Donovan said American players have enough confidence and experience to confront more traditional World Cup teams heading into a first round that includes matches against Germany, Portugal and Ghana. "I think the experience that we have now far exceeds the experience that we ever had with any team, and that lines up to give us a real chance," Donovan said Thursday. "We are confident in how we play. We are confident in what we do. Our guys have had enough experiences against all of these players, against teams like Ghana, Portugal, Germany. ... We feel confident that we can get results against them, and thats a nice feeling going into a World Cup." The U.S. opens against Ghana on June 16, plays Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal six days later and closes the group stage against Germany on June 26. The Americans will be playing in their seventh straight World Cup, and Donovan is heading to his fourth. "Theres never been competition for places like there is in our team now," the midfielder said during a news conference. "You can really make a case for probably 35 or 40 guys to be a part of a 23-man roster, and thats never been the case. Its really up for grabs in a lot of positions, and that in itself obviously creates competition, which makes the team better." Donovan, who turns 32 in March, said the U.S. team is more respected by opponents. "The reason its the group of death is because we are in it," he said. "In the past, it would have been a relatively easier group for Germany or Ghana or Portugal because they had us in it. But now, because we are in it, it makes it one of the most difficult groups in the tournament." Donovan said the first goal remains to reach the knockout stage of the 32-nation tournament. "Our expectations, like most teams, are to get out of the group," he said. "We are aware that we have a difficult group, but the expectation is that we can do it and we are going to try to get out of our group, just like most teams in this World Cup. That is the objective. That is the goal. But we feel good about where we are at." German coach Jurgen Klinsmann brought 26 players to this training camp get acclimated to the teams World Cup base in South Americas biggest city. The team, mostly with players from Major League Soccer, will play an exhibition against South Korea on Feb. 1 at Carson, Calif. "Weve been very lucky to have two weeks here in Sao Paulo," Donovan said. "Its been very nice to have a couple of weeks to adapt to what its going to be like this summer. When we come back we have a comfort level. We know the people, the club, the training facilities. It makes it a lot easier. You get a feeling for what its like here, and it helps a lot." Klinsmann is expected to visit the Arena da Amazonia on Friday in the jungle city of Manaus, where the U.S. will play Portugal. Zapatillas Nike España . Calgary finished atop the CFL standings with a 14-4 record and earned the right to host the West Division final at McMahon Stadium on Nov. Yeezy Baratas Hombre . - Young and old. https://www.zapatillasbaratasspain.es/ai...tlet-d1388.html. Just ask last seasons Supporters Shield winners, the New York Red Bulls, who were resoundingly defeated last weekend by a rampant Vancouver Whitecaps in a match which produced two contenders for MLS Goal of the Week from Sebastian Fernandez and Pedro Morales. Yeezy Baratas Spain . Bryant, who signed a five-year, $34 million contract as a free agent with Cleveland in March, reported symptoms on Monday morning, a team spokesman said. Yeezy Mujer Baratas . Diego Costa headed in Gabis corner seven minutes from time to secure victory ahead of the return match in Madrid on March 11. "We know that at Madrid it will be another game, which will also be important and very difficult," Milan coach Clarence Seedorf said.GENEVA - The status of Russia and Qatar as World Cup hosts seemed even more secure Tuesday after FIFA dismissed ethics prosecutor Michael Garcias appeal against the handling of his investigation into the bidding process.FIFA said its appeals panel ruled the case not admissible.The former U.S. Attorney had objected to ethics judge Joachim Eckerts summary of the World Cup bid investigation, claiming numerous materially incomplete and erroneous representations of his work.Eckert sought to close the case against all nine bidding candidates last month. He concluded that any corruption or rule-breaking was of very limited scope and did not influence the votes. The FIFA executive committee chose Russia to host the World Cup in 2018 and Qatar won the vote for the 2022 tournament.It was unclear if Garcia can take his appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.Garcia filed his appeal last month only three hours after FIFA published Eckerts report and welcomed a degree of closure.However, Eckerts report does not constitute a decision ... and as such is neither legally binding nor appealable, FIFA said in a statement Tuesday.FIFA also provided further legal opinion in a background paper on its website.In doing so, the chairman (Eckert) had merely commented on the report of (Garcias) investigatory chamber on a voluntary basis, the FIFA paper said.The ruling was published less than one hour after FIFA announced a disciplinary committee judgment dismissing complaints by two whistleblowers who were interviewed during the probe.The timing of the decisions — as FIFA President Sepp Blatter and his board gather in Marrakech, Morocco — will further fuel skepticism. FIFA insists that its judicial bodies are independent and not subject to any influence within its Zurich headquarters.Still, the two rulings will help set the agenda ahead of the two-day board meeting starting Thursday, which appears weighted against reformers seeking greater transparency.The board is set to receive a review on Friday of Garcia and Eckerts work by Domenico Scala, the chairman of FIFAs audit annd compliance committee.dddddddddddd Scala should decide how much of Garcias confidential 430-page investigation dossier should be seen by the board to decide the next steps in the case, more than four years after Russia and Qatar won their votes.Blatters ruling board will then decide whether to relax secrecy rules and publish some or all of Garcias work.Garcias legal defeat Tuesday does not affect his prosecutions of five men, including former FIFA board member Franz Beckenbauer, for wrongdoing in the bid campaign.Three current FIFA board members — FIFA vice-president Angel Maria Villar of Spain, Michel DHooghe of Belgium and Worawi Makudi of Thailand — also face sanctions for their actions during bid contests marred by claims of bribery, collusion and favour-seeking, and the subsequent investigation.The Russian and Qatari World Cup bid teams and organizing committees have always denied wrongdoing.In the earlier disciplinary ruling Tuesday, FIFA said the whistleblowers breach of confidentiality claim had no substance.The FIFA statement did not identify Phaedra Almajid, a former Qatar bid staffer, and Bonita Mersiades, who worked for the Australia campaign. Both worked in communications for their countries 2022 bids and left before the December 2010 vote.The FIFA panel ruled that both women had gone public with their own media activities long before Eckerts summary was published. Eckerts report also did not name them.FIFA said Garcia advised disciplinary chairman Claudio Sulser that the complaints against Eckert were without merit.The president German soccer federation, one of FIFAs most influential members, spoke out Tuesday against the legal turmoil.Wolfgang Niersbach, speaking on the fringes of a news conference, said weve lost track of the judicial mess over the Garcia report.Niersbach, who European members could elect to the FIFA board in March, said the sports governing body was failing to be an institution of absolute credibility and integrity.___AP Sports Writer Nesha Starcevic in Frankfurt, Germany, contributed to this report. ' ' '