Nick Szczepanik on the cardiac screening of players.

The Beckham effect on MLS website visits.

For those of you who followed the FA Cup blog last season you will recognize Jarrow Roofing Boldon Community Association FC. That was the side that the blog started to follow at the Extra Preliminary Round last season.

A look at the challenge Israel will pose for England in European qualifying.

Duncan Castles considers the battle for the Arsenal boardroom.

James Lawton delves more deeply into David Dein’s ambition.

Stewart Robson with a comparison of Pires and Ljungberg vs. Hleb and Rosicky.

Brian Doogan takes a look at Portsmouth’s impressive new signing John Utaka.

The dream is dead – again! American Samoa will not be one of the thirty-two teams in South Africa in three years time.

In another extract from his autobiography, Sir Bobby Charlton on Denis Law and George Best.

Brian McBride isn't in this game. When the ball is played up to him his first touch has been poor and that means he is unable to bring the other US players into the game.

A killer goal from Rosicky a poor clearing header from Onyewu drops to him. Reyna can't close him down quickly enough and the Arsenal player scores an absolute cracker. Apart from the two defnsive mistakes the US isn't playing bad football - just very ineffective football.

Nice and pretty but very predictable. Koller goes down holding his hamstring and he will be out of the game. This could have reprecussions in game 2, 3 and possibly later. A big blow to the Czech's WC hopes. Czech team size drops 2 inches as 6' 5" Vratislav Lovenc (Salzburg) replaces him.

Half time - USA needs to provide Brian McBride with some support and the team needs to be balanced. There is no natural width on the right hand side and with Nedved playing inside there is no reason why the USA can't make inroads down that side.

It looks as if both sides have opted for a 4-5-1. Bruce Arena has made sure he has got some real pace in the line up with Convey, Donovan, and Beasley.

Key match-ups; Onyewu vs. Koller; McBride vs. Ujfalusi; Nedved vs. Mastroeni; Reyna vs. Rosicky; Convey or Beasley vs. Grygera

We are off. Beasley lines up on the right side which puts him up against a very left footed Jankulovski. A showing a few nerves by conceding a number of early free kicks. They need to settle down asap.

Onyewu - yellow card, a card as early as this will be a problem. Koller scores. Lewis caught out of position that frees up Grygera and he plays in a fantastic cross that Koller can't fail to score from. A bad and costly mistake.