U.S.-England match will be a crowd pleaser

IRENE, South Africa - The bars are stocked across America, and the pubs are getting ready in England. A 70 1/2-foot billboard of Clint Dempsey stands near Penn Station in Manhattan, and there's even a large poster of Landon Donovan in a store along Picadilly Circus.

American soccer has never been more popular in the United States or its players more well-known across the world. And tomorrow comes the first competitive match between the United States and England since the great American upset at the 1950 World Cup. For one afternoon, millions will be watching from California to the New York island. Like never before in the United States, this is the sport's moment.

"I don't know what's going to be better, at the bar with my friends back home watching it, or actually playing it, because it's going to be special," U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard said yesterday.

On the first cloudy day since the U.S. team started workouts June 1, the Americans practiced in Pretoria. Then their red-white-and-blue bus with "Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Victory!" on the side made the two-hour drive to Rustenburg, where the big game will be played.

Thousands of tickets in refurbished, 38,646-capacity Royal Bafokeng Stadium were purchased back in the United States for the match at the foot of the Magaliesberg mountain range in the North West Province.

Donald Gips, the U.S. ambassador to South Africa, said Sunday that FIFA estimated 132,000 tickets for the 64-game tournament were bought in the United States, the most in any nation outside the host.

The Irish Pub, a few blocks from Carnegie Hall in Manhattan, is packed many weekend mornings for English Premier League games. Last month, it doubled in size in preparation for the World Cup.

More than 55,000 fans went to Philadelphia's Lincoln Financial Field for the U.S. team's sendoff game on May 29.

Interest ratcheted up last June when the Americans upset Spain in the semifinals of the Confederations Cup, a World Cup warm-up tournament in South Africa. The Americans ended the European champion's streak of 15 wins and 35 unbeaten games.

From Rustenburg to Raleigh to Rotherham, eyes will be focused on the match.

"I've heard so many stories from family members and friends," Howard said. "I think our country is going to stop, man. I really do. I think everyone is going to stop and be watching, have one eye on the result. And it's a lot of pressure, but it's also pretty cool to see how far we've come."