U.S. to Face England, Slovenia, and Algeria in Group C for 2010 FIFA World Cup

U.S. to Face England, Slovenia, and Algeria in Group C for 2010 FIFA World Cup

U.S. Will Open World Cup Against England on June 12 in Rustenburg
Other Two Group Matches Will be First-Ever Meetings Against Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg and Algeria on June 23 in Tshwane/Pretoria
USA's Group Games will be Shown Live on ESPN Networks and Univision

CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA — The U.S. Men's National Team has been drawn into Group C with England, Slovenia and Algeria for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The groups and schedule were determined during the Final Draw at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town, South Africa.

The U.S. will open its sixth consecutive World Cup finals tournament against England on June 12 in Rustenburg, and will follow that game with matches against Slovenia on June 18 in Johannesburg and Algeria on June 23 in Tshwane/Pretoria.

“It’s a big challenge but when you come to the World Cup and you have a chance to kick it off against an opponent like England, it gives it a real special start,” said U.S. Men's National Team head coach Bob Bradley. “It gives us a great opportunity to challenge ourselves in the first game.”

“We know that Algeria and Slovenia are very good teams and we have respect for what they accomplished. We’ll do our preparation and prepare our team. It's a four year period of growing, and we've played very tough teams along the way.”

The U.S. commences its World Cup by facing England in a rematch of the famed 1950 game in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. In that match nearly 60 years ago, an unfancied USA team defeated heavily favored England 1-0 to cause one of the biggest shocks in World Cup history. Joe Gaetjens' goal proved a memorable winner in the only World Cup meeting between the two teams.

The USA has faced England, ranked ninth in the FIFA World Rankings, on nine prior occasions and holds a 2-7-0 record against the 1966 World Cup champions. Most recently the two sides met in a friendly on May 28, 2008 at Wembley Stadium, where Fabio Capello's side earned a 2-0 victory. England qualified for its 13th World Cup, setting aside the disappointment of missing out on the 2008 European Championship by marching imperiously to a 9-1-0 record in Group 6 of UEFA qualifying.

Slovenia (ranked 33rd) and Algeria (28th) have never faced the United States and the games in South Africa will mark the first meetings between the countries in any competition.

Slovenia earned a ticket to South Africa by defeating Russia in a tense two-legged UEFA playoff. After earning a priceless away goal in Moscow, Matjaž Kek's team stood firm on home turf in Maribor to seize a priceless 1-0 victory and a trip to the World Cup. The European nation of just more than two million will be participating in its second World Cup after debuting eight years ago at Korea/Japan in 2002.

Algeria, going to the World cup for the first time since 1986, were participants in one of the most dramatic final days in World Cup qualifying history, when bitter rivals Egypt scored a vital goal in stoppage time in Cairo on Nov. 14, 2009. Algeria's 2-0 loss meant the teams finished tied on points and all tie-breakers in Group C of CAF qualifying, forcing an improbable one-game playoff at a neutral site. Played on Nov. 18 in Sudan, Algeria prevailed 1-0 to make the World Cup for the first time in 24 years. Before going to the World Cup, Algeria will contest the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations in January of next year, having been drawn in Group A with hosts Angola, Mali and Malawi.

Rustenburg will play host to the USA's opening game with England, in a stadium which holds fond memories for Bradley's team. It was at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium where the USA defeated Egypt 3-0 on June 21, 2009, to improbably advance to the semifinals of the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, where they subsequently defeated Spain to reach the final. The 42,000 seat stadium is the smallest venue in next year's World Cup.

The Confederations Cup final, which the USA lost to Brazil on June 28, was held in Johannesburg's Ellis Park, which will also play host to the USA's June 18 game against Slovenia. The USA also played at the same venue in South Africa's largest city on Nov. 17, 2007 during the Nelson Mandela Challenge Cup against South Africa, which the Americans won 1-0. The historic ground was built as a rugby stadium in 1928 and also played host to the Rugby World Cup final in 1995, won by South Africa.

The U.S. concludes group play in a stadium which also held Confederations Cup matches this past summer, facing Algeria in Tshwane/Pretoria. Loftus Versfeld was the site of the USA's games against Italy on June 15 and Brazil on June 18 during Group B play in the Confederations Cup. The stadium, built in 1906, is one of the oldest in South Africa and the oldest of eight venues used for World Cup games.

Should the U.S. advance to the second round, they would face a team from Group D (Germany, Australia, Ghana, Serbia) in either Rustenburg on June 26 on Mangaung/Bloemfontein on June 27.