FAIRFAX, Va. - The strategizing for the quarterfinal against Germany has begun. And the pregame politics were not far behind on the fields of George Mason University, just outside the nation's capital.
US coach Tony DiCicco maintained that he was undecided about possible lineup changes, namely whether or not Shannon MacMillan would start after her one-goal, two-assist performance against North Korea. Asked how the United States would attack Germany, DiCicco successfully tiptoed around the Americans' game plan.
''We're not sure against the Germans,'' he said. ''They're so good in the midfield, and they have two very dangerous front runners. We're yet to be decided. Our traditional system has been 3-4-3. We've been playing a lot of 4-3-3. But 3-5-2 may be the best against them. So did I avoid that question well enough?''
The coach later added that the German national squads and their ability to play possession ball serve as models for the United States. DiCicco noted that if there is an open player in the penalty area, the German flank players will find her and capitalize on an opponent's failure to match up. The Americans will spend time at today's practice on marking in the penalty area.
DiCicco's respect for the German style also showed as he discussed Germany's Olympic qualification conundrum. If the US team beats Germany by a large margin, the visitors could be knocked out of the Olympics by finishing last among the eight teams in the quarterfinal.
''I have trouble being sympathetic with the Germans,'' said DiCicco. ''They're an outstanding team, and I respect them tremendously. I hope we win the game, and I hope they're in the Olympics because I think the world will be missing something if the Olympics doesn't have the German national team in it.''
That said, DiCicco favors an outside qualification system for the Olympics, preserving the World Cup as a separate event.
Punch lineup
In case you missed it Monday, the US team was out late night on ''Late Show with David Letterman.'' The host selected the topic ''Top Ten Slogans for the US Women's World Cup soccer team'' for his regular Top Ten List. Topping the countdown: ''It's this or field hockey.'' But the line that drew the most laughs was No. 4: ''You'll come for the Hamm, You'll stay for the Brandi.''
D.C. heat is a breeze
With temperatures in the 90s, you would think the US players might be a bit fazed, if not dazed, by the heat. But according to DiCicco, a Washington summer does not compare to training camp in Orlando, Fla.
''It was a light practice,'' said the coach after a 11/2-hour workout. ''We've been in Orlando for five months. This is a spring day in Orlando.''
Intrigued by foreigners
As impressive as the World Cup crowds have been to watch the Americans (194,000 for the first three matches), the organizers have been amazed by the turnout for the non-US matches - an average of more than 21,000. ''If we had those matches in the major indoor arenas where the NBA and NHL play, they all would have sold out or nearly sold out,'' says WWC president Marla Messing ... With attendance for tomorrow night's US-Germany quarterfinal at Jack Kent Cooke Stadium already over 40,000, the stadium's upper deck will be opened to increase capacity to 55,000. More than 40,000 tickets have been sold for Sunday's semifinal at Stanford Stadium, where the US team would play, and more than 60,000 have been sold for the final in the Rose Bowl. More than 22,000 seats have been sold for the other semifinal at Foxboro Stadium.
John Powers of the Globe Staff contributed to this report.
