Chances for U.S. run in World Cup? Slim

"We don't know a lot about them," Ralston said. "But they're very athletic, very fast."

Ghana will rely on an athletic midfield, anchored by Stephen Appiah, who plays professionally for Fenerbahce, and Michael Essien (Chelsea) and on defender Samuel Kuffour (Roma).

So there you have it, an enormous challenge that is at the same time a map for advancement, for finishing among the top two teams in Group E.

The U.S. could tie the Italians. Draw with the Czechs, too. Then beat Ghana. That would be enough, maybe.

It is harder than it might have been. The U.S. came tantalizingly close to assignment into a winnable group, but then Lothar Matthaeus snatched away any such delusion. He drew the Americans into one of those groupings you wouldn't wish on North Korea — which isn't in the final, anyway.

Matthaeus had done enough damage around here recently enough, going through the motions as an overpaid defender on the MetroStars, leading them nowhere fast. Then yesterday in Leipzig, he reached into the clear plastic fishbowl and pulled out a teeny-tiny soccer ball with "USA" written on it, at the wrong time.

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Instead of joining Group G or H — two divisions nearly as pathetic as the Atlantic in the NBA — the Americans were thrown into Group E, arguably the second- or third-toughest group in the first round of the World Cup.

It could have been worse, but not by much. There was always Group C hanging around, with Argentina and Holland already slotted for advancement. There was Group B, with England, Paraguay and Sweden.

"Maybe it could have been easier," Ralston said. "But it could have been worse. A lot of people see us as a difficult group, because we are now respected more. We've improved dramatically, when you look at the world rankings."

The Americans have never beaten any of the teams in its group. It doesn't look good. But it also doesn't look totally hopeless.