Kasey Keller played his first league match of the 2001-2002 season since joining Tottenham Hotspur last summer. In a 1-1 tie at Aston Villa, Keller was beaten on a 90th minute penalty kick by Juan Pablo Angel. British press reports said Keller played well. TottenhamÆs regular starter in goal, Neil Sullivan, was on the bench. Before Saturday's appearance, Keller's service for Tottenham had been limited to one League Cup game and reserve team action. His lack of playing time had resulted in his losing the U.S. starting job to Brad Friedel in the final phase of World Cup qualifying. Friedel …

In 2001, Landon Donovan went from young phenom to professional star by helping the USA qualify for the 2002 World Cup and playing a vital role in San Jose's capture of the MLS title. The Facts Born: March 4, 1982, in Ontario, Calif. Hometown: Redlands, Calif. Pro clubs: San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) 2001-present, Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) 1999-2001. USA: 8 caps, 1 goal. U-20 World Cup: 2001. Olympics: 2000. U-17 World Cup: 1999. Landon's Dream Team

• Oliver Kahn (Germany)
• Cafu (Brazil)
• Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany)
• Paolo Maldini (Italy)
• Lothar Matthaeus (Germany)
• Edgar Davids (Netherlands)
• David Beckham …

North Korea is the only Asian team to reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Its 1-0 win over Italy in 1966 is considered one of the great upsets in World Cup history. North Korea's 1966 team is the great mystery team of the World Cup. No one had heard of the North Koreans before arriving in England for the 1966 finals, and little has been heard of them since. Some consider their 1-0 victory over Italy at Middlesbrough's Ayresome Park a bigger upset than the U.S. defeat of England by the same score in 1950, but Coach …

The backbone of South Korea's national team plays in the J-League. The exodus of players from South Korea to Japan that began with Noh Jung Yoon in 1993 has steadily increased. South Korean players have had little success in Europe - former Bundesliga star Cha Bum Kun is the notable exception - but they are big hits in Japan. South Korea has 10 players in the J-League - more than any other country except Brazil. Here's a look at the five who are key members of South Korea's national team: CHOI YONG SOO (JEF United). ). Choi, …

In his third game for Sunderland since arriving from Glasgow Rangers, Claudio Reyna celebrated his second English Premier League victory. SunderlandÆs Niall Quinn scored twice against BlackburnÆs American keeper in the 3-0 win. England ò Claudio Reyna (Sunderland, PL) vs. Blackburn (3-0) Started: 90 minutes. Sunderland ended a four-game away losing streak and moved up to ninth place. ò Brad Friedel (Blackburn, PL) vs. Sunderland (0-3) Started: 90 minutes. ò Joe-Max Moore (Everton, PL) vs. Manchester United (0-2) Entered as sub in 8th minute. ò Kasey Keller (Tottenham, PL) vs. Southampton (0-1). DNP. ò Jovan Kirovski (Crystal Palace, D1) vs. …

The U.S. Soccer Federation has hired Thomas Rongen as the head coach of the U.S. U-20 menÆs national team. Rongen, who was released as D.C. United coach after the 2001 season, replaces Wolfgang Suhnholz. Rongen has notched two winning seasons during his six seasons as an MLS coach. In 1996, he coached Tampa Bay to a 20-12 (win-loss) record. In 1997 he moved to New England and notched a 15-17 record. In 1998, after a 8-18 start, he was replaced in New England by Walter Zenga. Rongen moved to D.C. United in 1999, taking over the league's most successful club …

U.S. attacker Earnie Stewart scored on a free kick at the edge of the penalty area to help NAC Breda defeat Heerenveen, 2-1. It marked Stewart's ninth goal this season. NAC is in fourth place on 34 points, behind PSV Eindhoven, which has 34 and a superior goal difference, second-place Feyenoord (35 points) and leader Ajax (36 points). Ajax has a game in hand; Feyenoord has two games in hand. Netherlands ò John O'Brien (Ajax, D1) vs. FC Utrecht JC (1-3). Started: 90 minutes. Ajax suffered its first road loss in five games. ò Earnie Stewart (NAC Breda, D1) vs. …

U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna scored the game-winning goal in the 77th minute in SunderlandÆs 1-0 home victory over Everton on Saturday. It was ReynaÆs second appearance in the English Premier League since joining Sunderland from Glasgow Rangers for a transfer fee of $6.8 million on Dec. 7. A crowd of 48,013 was at the Stadium of Light. ReynaÆs goal came from a point-blank shot after Everton goalkeeper Steve Simonsen parried the AmericanÆs earlier effort to Jason McAteer, who served up Reyna for the goal. Reyna missed a good chance to put Sunderland ahead earlier when he shot over the bar …

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber issued the following statement Dec. 21: "In follow-up to the previously issued statement of December 14, MLS is continuing the process of evaluating all team markets," Commissioner Garber said. "At the present time no decisions have been finalized and discussions are on-going. MLS does not anticipate any further announcements prior to the New Year." The Dec. 14 statement was: "Contrary to published media reports, Major League Soccer has not finalized any decisions regarding how many teams will compete in the league during the 2002 season. At the present time, there are no announcements planned. …

Is the United States better than it was four years ago? That's the obvious question as we speculate on whether a Bruce Arena-led U.S. team can improve upon the last American World Cup performance - the three losses compiled by Steve Sampson's 1998 squad. In the 10-game final round of qualifying four years ago, Sampson's squad scored 17 goals, conceded 9 and finished second; Arena's men scored 11, conceded 8 and finished third. In battling for three qualifying spots, neither team could do better than split points with its top three rivals. (Sampson's were Mexico, Jamaica and …

NSCAA/ADIDAS First Team Goalkeepers -- Oliver Sanders (Rio Grande), Mark Spears (William Carey). Defenders -- Jeff Dolbeer (Berry), Thordur Jensson (Auburn-Mont.), Steven Linpow (Mobile), Jared Origi (St. GregoryÆs). Midfielders -- Ousmane Coulibaly (Mobile), Matt Evans (Azusa Pacific), Jasmin Kadric (Embry-Riddle), Aduato Neto (Mobile). Forwards -- Simon Carey (Rio Grande), Martin Gustavsson (Auburn-Mont.), Boyzzz Khumalo (Lindsey Wilson), Tom Odhiambo (Okla. Christian). Second Team Goalkeepers -- Tim Brooks (Cumberland), James Van Dyne (Auburn-Mont.). Defenders -- Donivan Esterhuizen (William Carey), Steven Kehoe (Rio Grande), Matthias Mueller (Embry-Riddle), Jerry Rybak (Alliant Int'l). Midfielders -- Warren Budde (William Carey), Paul Jeffries (Berry), Rafael Perez (Bethel), …

Among South Koreans' dreams for 2002 are national unity, an improved relationship with co-host Japan, and a place in the second round. There is a joke, Chung Mong Joon explains, that sums up his nation's relationship with its most bitter rival: Every time South Korea elects a new government, Japan is asked to apologize for atrocities committed during its 35-year occupation, through the end of World War II, of the Korean peninsula. Every time, Japan says it's sorry. "Finally," says Chung - architect of South Korea's successful World Cup bid, co-chairman of its organizing committee, president of …

NSCAA/ADIDAS First Team Goalkeeper -- Jeff Rink (Nassau). Defenders -- Martin Heagney (Santa Rosa), Jacob Kovacs (De Anza), Ross Perich (Macomb). Midfielders -- Bryan Courtney (Holyoke), Chris Gannon (Nassau), Miguel Lopez (CC of San Francisco), Diego Mejia (Raritan Valley). Forwards -- Tony Bonjorno (Mont.-Rockville), Leandro Focco (Canada), Ricky Quest (Herkimer County), Pablo Suarez (Raritan Valley). Second Team Goalkeeper -- Bladimir Castillo (Mont.-Rockville). Defenders -- Kelvin Batista (Raritan Valley), Mike Bramlett (Macomb), Douglas Castillo (Prince George's), Christopher Mahigian (Hudson Valley), Guerreiro Mateus (Mohawk Valley). Midfielders -- Jean Fleurial (Union County), Nathan Nunez (Allan Hancock), David Siegfried (American River), Eric Zegle (Herkimer …

MLS's waiver system is used to rid teams of unwanted players - and force others to take pay cuts if they want to remain. More than two dozen players waived, none claimed. A rather benign beginning to the offseason, one might think. Far from it. The list of those waived includes one of the most productive players in league history, a once-promising American who never took root in the pro game, and all manner of disappointments, young and old and in-between (see list in For the Record, page 26). The belt-tightening has begun. Budgets for 2002 have …

NSCAA/ADIDAS First Team Goalkeeper -- Byron Foss (SMU). Defenders -- Chris Gbandi (Connecticut), Danny Jackson (North Carolina), Lee Morrison (Stanford). Midfielders -- Luchi Gonzalez (SMU), Kyle Martino (Virginia), Diego Walsh (SMU). Forwards -- Nicholas McCreath (Rhode Island), Pat Noonan (Indiana), John Barry Nusum (Furman), Dipsy Selolwane (Saint Louis). Second Team Goalkeeper -- Brian Steckroth (Navy). Defenders -- Guy Abrahamson (Rutgers), Ilkka Jantti (Kentucky), Oguchi Onyewu (Clemson). Midfielders -- Brad Davis (Saint Louis), Kelly Gray (Portland), Jeff Matteo (St. John's), Ricardo Villar (Penn State). Forwards -- Alecko Eskandarian (Virginia), Joachim Kaland (Boston Univ.), Roger Levesque (Stanford), Mike Nugent (Princeton). Third Team …