The U.S. team received a good luck phone call from President George W. Bush Monday, only three hours before opening Group E play against the Czech Republic.

The team and coach Bruce Arena took the call via speaker phone at their hotel in Essen, Germany, about 20 minutes from Gelsenkirchen.

"You've been doing a great job in preparation," Bush said in the call that lasted about one minute. "The whole country is behind you. Give them (Czechs) hell."

Arena thanked the president for his well wishes and related that while he could not predict the outcome of the match, he was sure Bush would be proud of the team the U.S. fielded.

-- with thanks to correspondent CHRIS COWLES