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Star Scifo left off Belgian roster
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) -- The U.S. soccer team doesn't normally create commotion. Yet, Wednesday night's exhibition game against Belgium has done just that.Enzo Scifo, a star midfielder who has played for Belgium in three World Cups, was left off the roster. He responded by vowing never to play for the national team again as long as Georges Leekens is coach.
"I see that as a lack of respect but have to accept the choice of the national coach," said Scifo, who has played for Belgium 80 times.
The Americans (4-2 this year) arrived Sunday, one day after a 2-0 loss to the Netherlands in Miami. Wednesday night's game completes a stretch of seven games in 33 days as the United States prepares for this summer's World Cup in France.
The U.S. team has just two games scheduled in the next three months (Paraguay at San Diego on March 14 and Austria at Vienna on April 22) before gathering in early May to begin final preparations for the tournament.
The Americans play Germany, Iran and Yugoslavia in the first round of the World Cup. Belgium has first-round games against the Netherlands, Mexico and South Korea.
"Both coaches realize the result is important but are keeping in mind the big picture," U.S. coach Steve Sampson said. "You want your best results in June. You can play well and not get the result, but you can not afford to play poorly and lose. That's unacceptable. I expect it to be a very even game and entertaining for the people."
The United States has played Belgium just twice, winning in 1930 to advance to the World Cup semifinals and losing an exhibition game 1-0 on April 22, 1995 -- Sampson's first game as coach.
"I know it is a team in transition," Sampson said of Belgium. "Previously, it was a counterattacking team and now they want to play more build-up, more offensive-minded, much like the United States. Belgium is a complete team with no huge stars but have many talented hard-working players."
Europeans appear interested in the strides the Americans have made. The 1-0 victory over Brazil on Feb. 10 in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup captured the soccer world's attention. It was the first victory for the Americans against the Brazilians.
"On any other day, Brazil would have probably beat us 3-0 with that many chances," U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller said. "But it was just one of those days that makes this sport so interesting. No one will be able to take this away from us.
"It comes down to competition. We have players who are competing day in and day out at a high level. The team we sent to the World Cup in 1990 virtually did not have any experience. Since then we have had a lot of players play abroad in top professional leagues. They have to prove themselves every week."
NEXT ROUNDS: Round of 16 || Quarter-finals || Semi-finals
GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan