Undefeated Akron In Search Of First NCAA Soccer Title
by Andy Gardiner (Preview | USA Today - December 11)
Friday's semifinals: Virginia vs. Wake Forest, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2); Akron vs. North Carolina, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU). more details | go to article

Germans Hope Home Edge Will Help vs. Argentina
by Andy Gardiner (Preview | USA Today - June 30)
BERLIN — Germany will look to a home field and the positive karma from an entire country to give it an extra edge Friday night when it meets Argentina in the opening match of the World Cup's quarterfinal round, a showdown between countries that have won a combined five championships. more details | go to article

Reyna At Center Of Usa's Defining Cup Moment
by Andy Gardiner (Analysis | USA Today - June 23)
NUREMBERG, Germany — In the days running up to the USA's final group match against Ghana, midfielder Landon Donovan was asked about the value of captain Claudio Reyna. more details | go to article

USA Knows It Has To Take Care Of Its Own Business
by Andy Gardiner (Profile/Interview | USA Today - June 20)
The speaker was U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, not Oakland Raiders owner Al Davis, but the message was the same: Just win, baby. more details | go to article

USA Bounces Back, Pleased With Performance
by Kelly Whiteside and Andy Gardiner (Result | USA Today - June 19)
HAMBURG — Not often does a 1-1 tie — especially a madcap one with three ejections, one own-goal, one disallowed goal, one bloodied face, three stitches and 37 fouls — mean so much. But after the U.S. team tied Italy on Saturday in Kaiserslautern, captain Claudio Reyna said it was "one of the best results in U.S. history." more details | go to article

U.S. Team Feels Right At Home At Massive Military Base
by Kelly Whiteside and Andy Gardiner (Analysis | USA Today - June 16)
KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany — When the U.S. team arrived at the Ramstein Air Base where the team is staying in preparation for Saturday's game against Italy in Kaiserslautern, they were greeted by hundreds of military personnel and their families who lined the streets. One large sign read, "Welcome Home." more details | go to article

USA Taking Coach's Criticism Seriously
by Kelly Whiteside and Andy Gardiner (Preview | USA Today - June 15)
HAMBURG — Midfielder Bobby Convey said Wednesday that the U.S. national team players have accepted criticism delivered by coach Bruce Arena after a 3-0 World Cup loss to Czech Republic on Monday and won't carry any wounded egos into Saturday's match with Italy. more details | go to article

Beasley Problems Continue, U.S. Lineup Changing
by Andy Gardiner (Commentary | USA Today - June 14)
HAMBURG — U.S. coach Bruce Arena promised Tuesday that the team would have a new look to its lineup against three-time champion Italy on Saturday in a do-or-die World Cup match for the Americans. more details | go to article

Keller Looks To Come Out From Shadows
by Andy Gardiner (Profile/Interview | USA Today - June 7)
HAMBURG — Any discussion of the most successful goalkeepers in U.S. soccer history has to include Kasey Keller, who in a 16-year professional career has won more matches (51) and earned more shutouts (45) than any other American. more details | go to article

No Quit In Beasley
by Andy Gardiner (Profile/Interview | USA Today - June 6)
HAMBURG — DaMarcus Beasley has not been deaf to the rumblings that his recent flat play may have put his starting midfield position in jeopardy when the USA opens World Cup soccer play Monday against the Czech Republic. more details | go to article

Pope Wants To Go Out In Style In World Cup
by Andy Gardiner (Profile/Interview | USA Today - June 5)
Eddie Pope was tired. His entire body ached last November after what seemed to be an uninterrupted stretch of soccer reaching back more than a year. more details | go to article

Mistake Dooms U.S. As Morocco Wins World Cup Warmup 1-0
by Andy Gardiner (Result | USA Today - May 24)
Bruce Arena's analysis of the U.S. national team's 1-0 exhibition game loss to Morocco on Tuesday was short and sweet. more details | go to article

Deeper Roster Marks U.S. World Cup Team
by Andy Gardiner (Analysis | USA Today - May 2)
The United States men's World Cup soccer roster revealed Tuesday by coach Bruce Arena was long on experience and short on surprises. more details | go to article

No Stopping U.S. As It Seeks Cup Berth
by Andy Gardiner (Analysis | USA Today - June 10)
Ask coach Bruce Arena the surest way to advance the U.S. men's soccer team out of regional qualifying and into the 2006 World Cup, and he'll suggest you do the math, using international soccer's format of awarding three points for a victory and one for a tie. more details | go to article

U.S. Closer To Cup Berth After Win In Panama
by Andy Gardiner (Result | USA Today - June 9)
The USA finished its scoring chances with the deadliness of a sniper while Panama was a gang that couldn't shoot straight. more details | go to article