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We don’t know about you, but we’re starting to experience full-blown symptoms of “World Cup Fever” … common ones include nervousness, the inability to concentrate at work, and the urge to complain about Italy’s style of play to anyone within earshot. Science has not yet been able to find a cure, but we’ve got an old-fashioned remedy that gets most people on the road to recovery – watching the friendly tune-up contests.
The next 48 hours could provide a remarkable recovery for those afflicted with this disease, with three games of direct interest to RSL and USA fans … consider it chicken soup in football form:
1) RSL’s scrappy midfielder Will Johnson will today be Canada’s scrappy midfielder, as he’ll suit up for the Maple Leafs this afternoon against the “Albicelestes” of Argentina in Buenos Aries. Kickoff is set for 1:30 p.m. MT this afternoon, and those of you with ESPN Deportes or access to ESPN3.com can watch Will take on Messi & Co. live. Click here to see what Will has to say about today’s daunting challenge (thanks to the Canadian Soccer Association) …
2) A half hour before, beginning at 1:00 p.m. MT, there will be plenty of reasons for USA fans to soak in the friendly at London’s famed Wembley Stadium between Mexico and England … whether it’s to keep one eye on our main CONCACAF rivals in “el tri” or do some recon on the United States’ opening opponent on June 12 (JUST 19 DAYS AWAY!!!). Tune into Fox Soccer Channel or Telemundo to check that one out.
3) And turn that TV dial to ESPN on Tuesday night to see the Red, White & Blue take on the Czech Republic in Hartford, Conn. in the first of the USA’s two “send-off” affairs for South Africa 2010. The big question in these parts is, of course, how much time our guy Robbie Findley will see in what could be a make-or-break night for the young striker … you’ll have to tune in at 6:00 p.m. MT tomorrow to find out.
4) And if that’s not enough for you, a tape-delay of the Portugal-Cape Verde match will be showing on ESPN3.com at 12:30 pm MT today … but if you need to watch that one, your case of “World Cup Fever” might be developing into something worse!
