Freidel - battling for number one spot (Allsport)

By Martyn Ziegler, PA Chief Sports Reporter, Seoul

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The United States get their World Cup under way against Portugal with coach Bruce Arena admitting he has searched in vain for his opponents' Achilles heel.

The Portuguese, Euro 2000 semi-finalists, are expected to overwhelm the Americans, who finished France 98 with the worst record of all 32 countries, losing all three games.

Arena said: "I haven't been able to detect a weakness in Portugal. The one thing that stands out is their great attacking quality but it's not just one player or two players, it's the whole combination.

"The combination of Figo, Joao Pinto and Sergio Conceicao is formidable and they have a very strong defence too.

"We will be going out there to win, but we would like to complete the game with at least a point."

Blackburn keeper Brad Friedel is the favourite to start in goal, at the expense of Tottenham's Kasey Keller, though Arena is such an unpredictable figure he is capable of springing any number of surprises.

Claudio Reyna, the Sunderland striker who plays in midfield for the USA, is doubtful with a thigh injury while Clint Mathis, the pin-up boy of American soccer, has not recovered peak fitness while coming back from a knee operation.

Meanwhile, Friedel has cited his club form as the reason for his surge into contention, saying: "I have been playing constantly for the last two years, which has made a real difference with my international chances.

"I have been lucky enough to get back together with Graeme Souness at Blackburn and I'm really enjoying my football there, and have signed a new four-year contract.

"To play in the World Cup would be the icing on the cake."

In the US, the World Cup match has to fight for attention with the NBA championship play-offs between the LA Lakers and the New Jersey Nets.

Ajax's American midfielder John O'Brien believes a successful tournament could see football begin to make inroads.

He said: "In the past it was always just participating was enough, Now I want to see our team do real well. If we do that I think the fans in America will start following the sport more and enjoying it more."

Portugal were superb at Euro 2000, coming from 2-0 down to beat England 3-2 and then hammering Germany 3-0 before eventually losing to France in the semi-finals.

Fernando Couto, Lazio's Portuguese centre-back, believes the squad's experience will stand them in good stead.

He said: "We have been together for a long time as a group and we have achieved a lot. Of course we will try our best this time around and we are all looking forward to finally getting into action.

"We have been monitoring the USA's games in the build-up to the World Cup and we expect a very tough match. They are very strong both tactically and physically."

Coach Antonio Oliveira has hailed Figo, the second most expensive player in the world after Zinedine Zidane, as being as vital to the team as Eusebio was in 1966.

The Real Madrid star has been plagued by an ankle injury but Oliveira believes he will be back to his best.

"Figo is fully fit," he said. "We have a mature, ambitious team, and a good team spirit and that's is all that is important to me."