Dempsey and Ronaldo Are Set for U.S.-Portugal Matchup Despite Injuries
MANAUS, Brazil — Injuries have been the dominant subplot in the buildup to Sunday’s World Cup game between the United States and Portugal, but while both teams will be without important players, each squad’s leader is expected to play.
Clint Dempsey, the United States captain, sustained a broken nose Monday in a victory over Ghana but should start against Portugal. Dempsey has the option to wear a protective mask, as players in many sports have done, but is said to be leaning against doing so. It is possible that Dempsey will play a more attacking role against Portugal because the starting striker, Jozy Altidore, has been ruled out with a hamstring injury. Aron Johannsson and Chris Wondolowski are the likely candidates to start in Altidore’s place.
Portugal will be without Hugo Almeida and Fábio Coentrão, who are injured, as well as Pepe, who is suspended. The Portuguese will have the superstar Cristiano Ronaldo, however, who has been dealing with an injured knee.
Portugal’s coach, Paulo Bento, whose team was embarrassed by Germany, 4-0, in its opening game, did not mince words Saturday. “Either we win or we pack our suitcase,” he said.
Bento will hope Ronaldo can weave some magic in conditions that are expected to be suffocating. Storms are in the forecast, and the heat index could near 100 degrees. If the United States can deal with the Amazon humidity, as well as Ronaldo, and earn its second consecutive victory, it will clinch a place in the knockout rounds.
United States Coach Jurgen Klinsmann was upbeat as usual Saturday — he bounded off the news conference dais at one point to watch the end of the Germany-Ghana game before returning — and likened the climate in Manaus to Miami’s. Klinsmann has stressed conditioning to his players, so he said he was not especially concerned with how the Americans would react on a sultry evening.
Klinsmann also said he was well aware of the challenge that an irritated Portuguese team would present.
“We believe that we can beat them,” he said. “Will it be very, very difficult? Absolutely.”
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