U.S. Soccer Team, Cayman Islands Meet

The U.S. national soccer team has a couple of goals going into today’s 3 p.m. game against the Cayman Islands at Trabuco Hills High in Mission Viejo: Score a couple of goals and kick the ball into the net.

The U.S. team (8-12-11 in international play) has not scored more than one goal in a game since a 2-1 victory over Panama on July 14. And the last time a U.S. player scored with his feet--other than off a free kick--was Oct. 13 when midfielder Cobi Jones scored against Mexico.

U.S. Coach Bora Milutinovic is trying to find the right combination of players in the right positions to provide some scoring. U.S. players have had plenty of opportunities, but haven’t been able to finish.

Thanks to some fine goalkeeping, U.S. opponents have been having the same trouble. Veteran Tony Meola got his sixth shutout, a 1-0 victory over Jamaica, last Sunday. Today, Brad Friedel, the NCAA’s most valuable player in 1992 at UCLA and a mainstay for the U.S. Olympic team, will be in goal.