U.S. Soccer Team, After Two Losses in Europe, Plays Iceland

The United States soccer team, after a brief and not quite happy trip to Eastern Europe, will have a chance to meet a team more to its level when it plays Iceland today.

The U.S. team’s 0-2 swing through Hungary and East Germany left it wiser and determined to improve on its 3-5 record compiled since qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 40 years.

The good news for this young team is that despite a 2-0 loss to Hungary and a 3-2 loss to East Germany last month, it is progressing. The team is still learning to react to different styles, and Coach Bob Gansler has been juggling his lineup to find the right combinations.

With the World Cup only two months away, there are few spots on the team that are locked up. Perhaps the most interesting battle is at goalkeeper, where Tony Meola and Kasey Keller have been battling. Meola played both games in Europe so Keller is likely to start against Iceland.

Iceland has a lot to gain by beating the United States. Iceland did not qualify for the WorldCup, despite tying two teams that did--the Soviet Union and Austria. Iceland finished 1-3-4 in its group.

Iceland is providing a new look on this tour. It has a new coach in Bob Johansson, who has been in that position only a month. At least five of Iceland’s best players are not with the team because they are fulfilling obligations to European professional teams.

The team playing here will be young and inexperienced and not familiar to playing together. But Iceland is still favored to win the game.