Friday, May 31, 2002
Keller misses practice after bruising elbow
By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
SEOUL, South Korea — Kasey Keller keeps getting banged up, which could mean the United States will open the World Cup with Brad Friedel in goal.
Keller didn't attend practice Thursday morning, a day after bruising his left elbow during a collision with teammate Carlos Llamosa.
“It's just a bruise,” Keller said later in the day, before the Americans scrimmaged against Costa Rica. “Hopefully, it will all be OK.”
Keller had an X-ray and an MRI exam, and both were negative, U.S. team spokesman Jim Moorhouse said.
U.S. coach Bruce Arena expected Keller to be sidelined for 1-to-4 days.
“We'll have to see how he responds to treatment,” Arena said. “We are not concerned this will affect his ability to play in this World Cup.”
Arena has not made a decision on his goalkeeper for the U.S. opener against Portugal on Wednesday, and said it's possible he would split the first two games between Keller and Friedel. The Americans' second game is against co-host South Korea on June 10, and they finish the first round against Poland on June 14.
“The bottom line is that it's like splitting hairs,” Arena said.
Keller, who was hurt when Llamosa tried for a header, started for the United States in the first two games of the 1998 World Cup, and is the No. 1 goalkeeper for Tottenham Hotspur in England's Premier League. The 32-year-old from Lacey, Wash., who has 60 international appearances, was 4-2-2 in qualifying for this year's World Cup.
Two weeks ago, during an exhibition game against Jamaica, he collided with a Jamaican player and banged knees. Keller hobbled off the field at Giants Stadium, but three days later played the second half against the Netherlands at Foxboro, Mass.
Friedel, who played against Yugoslavia in the Americans' final game at the 1998 World Cup, was 4-2 in qualifiers for 2002. He starts for Blackburn Rovers in the Premier League and helped the team win the League Cup.
Notes: U.S. captain Claudio Reyna skipped drills Thursday morning because of a sore right leg. ... Landon Donovan gave his guess at the starting lineup against Portugal: Jeff Agoos and Eddie Pope at central defenders; Tony Sanneh at right back; David Regis or Frankie Hejduk at left back; Reyna and John O'Brien at central midfield; Earnie Stewart at right midfield. He didn't want to speculate on the goalkeeper or the forwards, and it seemed DaMarcus Beasley was his best guess at left midfield. ... At 57 kilos (126 pounds), Beasley is the lightest player in the tournament, according the weights listed on FIFA's rosters. Brazil's Juninho Paulista is the second lightest at 58 kilos (128 pounds).
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Keller misses practice after bruising elbow
