U.S. meets Nigeria with seed on line

Germany looked much more mortal in its scoreless tie against England on Friday, then ground out a 2-0 win against Japan on Monday, the USA and Korea would rather take on England in the quarterfinals.

While Germany hasn't been the same since the international retirement of marvelous midfielder Maren Meinert in 2003, the Germans still are a formidable side (remember, the Germans eliminated the U.S. from the 2003 WWC in the semifinals and battled the eventual gold-medal winning Americans even in the 2004 Olympic semifinals).

The U.S. and the Koreans are tied for the group lead, so even a goal either way in their Tuesday matches -- the U.S. plays Nigeria in Shanghai and Korea takes on Sweden in Tianjin -- could prove to be the determining factor on who gets Germany.

U.S. coach Greg Ryan said he is focusing on Nigeria.

"The one thing that matters is our result against Nigeria," Ryan said during a press conference in Shanghai, China. "That's the one thing we can control. Right now, we've got to take care of business."

So Ryan refuses to look beyond Nigeria.

"This team has done well and has had a lot of success because we've never gotten ahead of ourselves," he said. "I don't dwell on what happens later on."

The U.S. and Korea are tied for the group lead with identical 1-0-1 records. Both teams have scored four goals and allowed two goals after playing to a 2-2 draw in their opening game Tuesday. If both teams get the same result Tuesday -- then the first criteria of tie-breakers is thrown out the window.

Here is the criteria:

If there are lots, a drawing will be held in the press conference room of the Shanghai Hongkou Stadium 15 minutes after both matches.

Saying that, the U.S. will have someone at the Korea-Sweden match.

"We will know what's going on in that game," Ryan said. "We have to know."

But the players don't have to know.

"Our players have to focus on the game at hand and don't need to know anything on that other game," he said. "As a player, you don't need to know what's happening. You need to focus on your game.

"As a player, you don't want to know what's going on. There's enough to do right there out there."

THREE TEAMS, THREE STYLES: Without leaving China, the USA is getting a tour of the world from their opponents -- Asia (Korea), Europe (Sweden) and Africa (Nigeria).

"Every team in our group is so different," Ryan said, "and that's what makes it difficult to prepare in a certain specific style.

"North Korea is so mobile, quick, skillful. Sweden is so direct, skillful, strong, aggressive in the air. And you've got Nigeria. They've got a lot of skill and speed in addition to great athleticism. In addition to being a very good soccer team, they'd make a great track team. They can run.

"As long as we don't concede a goal, we'll be just fine," he said.

Because of all of the rain Shanghai has received, the U.S. hasn't been able to practice on the stadium field. The team has taken a walk on the field. "They're protecting the field," Ryan said.

FALLOFF? NO WAY: Ryan was taken aback a bit when a foreign reporter mentioned that there was talk that the U.S. fell off from the 1999 team.

Under Ryan, this U.S. side hasn't lost in 32 consecutive matches and is unbeaten on the field in 49 games.

"What people say hasn't influenced me one way or another," he said. "This is a team that hasn't lost a game in over two years.

"If you want to compare notes with some other countries, I think you'd say we're still the strongest country in the world. You see Germany beat Argentina by 11 goals. You might think Germany is a good team. You've got to look beyond the situation. We've played two great teams -- the No. 3 and No. 5 teams in the world. I think they're wrong."

BRAZIL: DANGEROUS AND DISORGANIZED: Brazil demonstrated why it can be one of the most dangerous teams in the competition by scoring three second-half goals in its 4-0 victory against the host Chinese on Saturday.

"Once you're down a goal in a World Cup, you've got to throw numbers forward," Ryan said. "When you (do it against) Brazil, they have too much speed and individual ability to step them."

Added midfielder Leslie Osborne: "Brazil's a different team with Marta. They took advantage of their opportunities. I was impressed with Brazil. They're a fun team to watch."

The U.S. defeated Brazil 2-0 in a World Cup warm-up match at Giants Stadium in June and the result wasn't even that close.

Ryan said Brazil has "a lot of talented players," but that the South Americans are "pretty much disorganized in organization."

SHADES OF THE BIG APPLE: On www.USSoccer.com., U.S. midfielder Lindsay Tarpley said that Shanghai reminds her of New York City.

"The drives to practice have been just a little chaotic," she wrote. "There are almost 800 traffic accidents a day in Shanghai, and from my personal experience, three near misses on every bus ride the U.S. team takes."

Tarpley said that she gets bus sick quite easily.

"With police escort through the terrible traffic in China, there tends to be a lot of stop and go," she wrote. "As a result, I have to sit up in the very front of the bus, which helps in the bus sickness, but it gives me a view of the absolutely crazy drivers in China. The police car is driving with lights flashing and the sirens blaring, with one officer leaning out the window and shouting at the traffic and people still don't seem to be paying attention to them."