USA won a test match against Angola Team USA won a test match against Angola 1-0 in Hamburg on monday. The public was excluded from the game. Brian McBride scored the only goal against tthe Angolese team who only played with ten men for most of the game after defender Loco was sent off in the 35th minute being booked twice.

Dwight Yorke is the captain of the national team of Trinidad & Tobago. He has been playing for Manchester United between 1998 and 2002 where he earned the nickname "smiling assassin". In 1999 Yorke won three titles with ManU and ended up as the top scorer of the Premiere League with eighteen goals. Although he had already retired from the national team he joined in again as captain to lead the "Soca Warriors" to and in their first time ever appearance in the World Cup final round. HINZ: Dwight, are you happy national coach Leo Beenhakker asked you to come back to the team? Dwight Yorke: It's been fantastic since I've come back. There is no doubt the manager played an important role in getting me back on the team. I've always dreamt of being the captain. This is magnificent. It's a great honour to captain my country and it's a historical moment for our people, a remarkable achievement for such a small country of just 1.3 million people. HINZ: You didn't think you'd ever play the World Cup? Dwight Yorke: I felt that my opportunity had gone. At 34 years of age not many people can say that they can represent their country on the world stage and lead the team. The loss against the USA in 1989 was a massive disappointment. It wasn't to be that we made it to the final round back than but I'm lucky to get a second chance seventeen years later. HINZ: You've been playing in England for more than a decade. What are your feelings now that you meet the English national team in group B? Dwight Yorke: Certainly England is my home in terms of I've been living there for the last twenty years. And I always wanted to play Englang on the world stage. It's great to play against players I've known for many years, I've played with and have fine memories of. All that is going out the window on June 15th but most important now is the Sweden game. We've got to take all our energy into that game first. HINZ: And how are you dealing with your role as the underdog? Most people are writing you off already. Dwight Yorke: Quite rightly so. We're the underdogs. But I've played in a good team and everytime you go out doesn't guarantee you win a football match. We will play to our best and our capabilities. It would not be a good attitude to just turn up and being rolled over. But we've done the preparation and the support is unbelievable. We all relish the opportunity and hope to save the best for last. Overall it is a great learning experience for all of us. HINZ: Thanks Dwight and good luck.

Trinidad and Tobago won their last test game before they meet Sweden in the World Cup on June 10th. In front of 19,400 spectators they beat Hamburg's cult club, third league FC St. Pauli 2-1. Kenwyne Jones (14.) and Jason Scotland (25.) were successful for the "Soca Warriors" before St. Pauli's captain Thomas Meggle sunk in a penalty (53.) for the final score. Despite the first succes in four test games the team of Dutch coach Leo Beenhakker still showed many weaknesses in the defense. The game was not rich in highlights and close to the final whistle two players of each team were sent off after an unnecessary scuffle. Dwight Yorke (Sydney FC) and Stern John (Coventry City) did not play but took a rest for the important game on Saturday. The atmosphere was increadible, the Pauli-fans enthusiastically welcomed the players and fans from the Caribbean. A lot of them even wore the Trini colors and flags. Fans united - so to speak. I will be back with more pictures and interview-bits of some of the T'n'T players as soon as I figured out how do charge my notebook battery on the train back to Cologne. Check back later.

The temperature is rising. And I'm not talking about the weather. Whereever you go these days in Germany there is only one topic people talk about - the upcoming World Cup. At the bakery, in the bars and even in the doctor's waiting room, noone can escape the hype. And noone wants to - or so it seems. Even those who never really cared about soccer are suspending flags of the participating teams from their windows. Pleasant anticipation is overclouding the scene. Unfortunately the weather gods are not yet in the mood for outdoor football celebrations. It's June already but it doens't feel like summer. But there are still a few more days for the temperature to adjust to the World Cup excitement.