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HAMBURG, Germany (June 13, 2006) – Following
the 3-0 loss to the Czech Republic, the U.S.
players talked to reporters in the mixed zone
before returning to Hamburg.

Bobby Convey
On the game and what went wrong:
“Our spacing and formation wasn’t good. We didn’t
move well off the ball, and defensively we didn’t
win a lot of second balls. Any time you go down in
the third or fourth minute against a team that can
hold the ball that well and move it around it’s
going to be difficult.”

Brian McBride
On the result:
“It wasn’t the service. As a team I think we need
to play a little bit better and more confident,
and sure – I was part of that.”

Kasey Keller
On the result:
“They are the second ranked team in the world, so
obviously you have to give them some credit. But
also, they beat us. We gave up an early goal and
Claudio hits the post and it should be 1-1, and
then they come down there and Rosicky hits a bomb
and we’re down 2-0 for not a whole lot. It was just
a shame. We definitely gave the game away, and
that’s what we’re frustrated at.”

On if the U.S. was at fault on any of the goals:
“We were a little bit at fault. I don’t know how
much at fault we were for the second one,
you have to give Rosicky a little bit of credit for
that, but the first one it just didn’t happen for
us. Maybe I played a ball too quick trying to get
Bobby (Convey) through and they just came back down
with a great cross and open (Jan) Koller in
the box – you are going to pay a price for that.
We’re better than we played today and we’ll show
you that in the next two games.”

Landon Donovan
On the result:
“To be fair, we got beat by a pretty good team.
I didn’t think we played terribly in the first
half, but were a little bit lifeless and a
little bit unlucky. Give them credit. They
scored three great goals.”

On if the game plan was to blame:
“We can look back and say whatever we want now.
Not enough guys came to play and that’s what mattered.”

On the World Cup opening with a disappointing result:
“There’s two ways to look at it. You’re at a World Cup,
and for a lot of us – especially the MLS guys, since
January this has been the date that has been circled
and it’s disappointing. That being said, it’s not over.
It’s going to be hard, but it’s not over and we don’t
want to have this memory be terrible.”

On the attitude of the team after the loss:
“It’s hard to keep your head up right now because we
are disappointed, but you have to turn around. This
is the way this tournament goes. I remember we lost
by two goals to Poland last time and still got
through, so you have take the positives. But whatever
happens in the Italy game result-wise, it was
embarrassing tonight and that shouldn’t happen.”

On his play:
“I didn’t get the ball enough. When I did get it
I made some decent plays, but not enough. I don’t
think I had a shot on goal, and playing 45 minutes
as a forward that’s my job.”

Eddie Lewis
On where the team stands after this game:
“At this stage we want to regroup ourselves,
take a look and see how fit everyone is, and
then really start to concentrate on Italy in
the next day or two.”

On the challenges that are ahead:
“I think we know that every game in this group
is going to be extremely tough, and we faced
quite a challenge today. Now we just need to
pick ourselves up and get ready for the next
two.”

John O’Brien
On the result:
“We expect more from ourselves, and the coaches
expect more from us too, and I think that is
reasonable. A lot of guys could have played a
little bit better including myself. Next game
around hopefully we can step up and set that straight.”

On if the team came out tentative:
“I don’t really think it was tentativeness.
Coming behind a goal early, I think that
might have changed things. We expected them
to come out strong and pressure us after
they scored a goal they sat back a little
more and we had to try to pick them apart
which was difficult. The way the game went
it was tough to get in and play our game.”

Eddie Pope
On Koller scoring the first goal:
“He created the space. He shoved me a little bit in the back, and created space for
himself. They didn’t call it. Once I got the
little shove I was too far forward to get back.”

On the difference in this team’s reaction
and the 1998 team:
“I think in '98 we started pointing fingers
immediately, and this team doesn't do that at
all. We all believe in each other and we all
believe that we can regroup and move forward.
in '98 it was a little bit different."

Claudio Reyna
On what went wrong:
“Other guys are looking to everyone else to
make plays and you can’t do that. Everyone
has to be brave and want the ball. In the
second half it was more crowded in the middle
and it was tough to get forward. We had three
in the back, so it was dangerous for me or
John (O’Brien) to get forward in the second
half. In the first half, when the times were
right I wanted to get forward and get the
team going. We created more in the first half
– at least opportunities and crosses and I
hit the post. Overall we know that we have to
play better to get anything out of the Italy game.”

On Landon Donovan:
“Today he played as a second striker and I
think they marked him very well and it was
difficult for him to find space. In the second
half he found a little bit more room, but when
they scored it made it more difficult for him
because they had a lot of players back. It was
tough for our attacking four players to get space
because they got back quickly and they made the
space for our players so difficult.”