Spot assured, U.S. players try to impress coach

COLUMBUS (AP) -- Even though the United States has a guaranteed spot in the regional finals, forward Eddie Johnson says there are still high stakes in tonight's World Cup qualifying match against Jamaica.
The 20-year-old said his breakout season with Dallas in Major League Soccer and three-goal game with the U.S. team against Panama in World Cup play last month won't necessarily impress U.S. coach Bruce Arena.
"This is one of the most competitive camps I've been in," Johnson said. "You have a lot of MLS guys who have to prove themselves to Bruce, including myself. I'm not taking anything for granted."
The U.S. win over Panama clinched first place in Group A in the semifinal round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region. The top two teams from three groups move into the CONCACAF finals next year. The top three teams in the finals advance to the 2006 World Cup in Germany, and No. 4 meets a team from Asia for another berth.
Jamaica would grab the second spot with a win on Wednesday at Crew Stadium. The Reggae Boyz and the United States tied 1-1 in August at Kingston, with the Americans needing a late goal.
Jamaica has never beaten the United States (3-0-2), which has 11 points. Jamaica (1-1-3) is second with six points. Panama (1-2-2) is one point back and plays host to El Salvador (1-3-1) today.
Meanwhile, several U.S. players training alongside their MLS rivals see the training camp as "therapy" after disappointments in league playoffs.
"It's helped me mentally to keep playing," said midfielder Steve Ralston, whose New England team lost the Eastern Conference semifinal to D.C. United on penalty kicks.
Johnson, who tied for the MLS lead in goals with 12, took two weeks off after Dallas failed to make the playoffs.
"It's good to get going again," he said. "The more camps you go to, the more chances you have to be around veteran players, players who've been overseas. You step your game up."
In Europe, without a victory from its first three games, European champion Greece is next to last in its World Cup qualifying group. A loss at home to last-place Kazakhstan on Wednesday and coach Otto Rehhagel, the hero of Euro 2004, could be looking for another job.
"We had a poor start, but we hope the game against Kazakhstan will be the beginning of a counterattack since qualification is not lost yet," said Rehhagel, a German who became a national hero and was offered Greek citizenship after the team's amazing European Championship triumph in July.