The U. Air Max 97 Sale .S. drew a daunting task for next years World Cup: difficult opponents, tropical venues and a wearying 9,000-mile zigzag journey across Brazil. The Americans wound up with the potentially punishing group they feared and will play Ghana, Portugal and Germany next June as they try to achieve a U.S. first: reaching the knockout phase twice in a row. While Ghana eliminated the Americans in 2006 and 2010, the Black Stars wont do it again. The U.S. opens its seventh straight World Cup appearance against Ghana on June 16 at Natal. The U.S. meets Portugal and 2008 FIFA Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo six days later in the Amazon rain forest city Manaus. The Americans have just three off days to recover before closing Group G on June 26 in Recife against three-time champion Germany. "I think we have the quality, if we play our best ball, to get out of the group," U.S. captain Clint Dempsey said after Fridays draw set the eight four-nation groups. "You cant think about, Am I the favourite? Am I the underdog? Whats it going to be like playing in the heat? Whats it going to be like with the travel? Those are factors that come into it, but at the end of the day both teams have to deal with it." After having the shortest group-play travel in South Africa, the U.S. will have the longest in Brazil. The Americans will be based in Sao Paulo and face trips of 1,436 miles to Natal, 1,832 miles to Manaus and 1,321 miles to Recife. They will play all three games in the tropics, with the second and third matches in the afternoon. "I think guys who have played in MLS are used to taking 3,000-mile trips across the country to play," midfielder Sacha Kljestan said. The U.S. group has the best average FIFA world ranking. Odds on the Americans winning their first World Cup more than doubled after the draw, from 60-1 to 150-1. "Its definitely one of the tougher groups, if not the toughest, but at the same time, this is what the World Cups all about. You go there to play against the best," American forward Jozy Altidore said during a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "I think the boys will be excited, will be up for it." U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann, who replaced Bob Bradley 2 1/2 years ago, played for Germanys 1990 World Cup championship team and coached his native country to third place at home in the 2006 tournament, commuting to Europe from his California house in Orange County. "It couldnt get any more difficult or any bigger," he said at the draw in Costa do Sauipe, Brazil. "Its a real challenge. And well take it. Well take it on, and hopefully were going to surprise some people there." The U.S. and South Korea were the last remaining teams in draw pot three. While the Americans landed in a group with an average FIFA ranking of 11.25, South Korea wound up in Group H, creating a group with the poorest average at 28.25. "I think the teams mentality is that we can go and play with anybody," American defender Matt Besler said. "Now were going to have to prove it." Germany beat the U.S. 2-0 in its 1998 World Cup opener in Paris -- with Klinsmann setting up the first goal and scoring the second -- then edged the Americans 1-0 on a controversial goal in the 2002 quarterfinal in South Korea. Die Mannschaft is coached by Klinsmanns former assistant, Joachim Loew. The Americans beat a second-tier German roster 4-3 in a June exhibition at Washington. "With Jurgen Klinsmann, they have another mentality," Loew said. "I learned a lot from Jurgen, so this is special." Ranked 14th in the world, the U.S. has alternated quick exits with advancement since returning to soccers showcase in 1990 after a 40-year absence. After the draw four years ago, one British paper used a headline "EASY" for England, Algeria, Slovenia and the Yanks, and The Sun called it the "best English group since the Beatles." The Americans wound up atop a group for the first time since the first World Cup in 1930, and England advanced as the second-place nation. This time, second-ranked Germany and fifth-ranked Portugal are the favourites to reach the second round. If the U.S. qualifies for the round of 16, it would face Belgium, Russia, Algeria or South Korea from Group H. As for the rest of the field, Brazil, Cameroon, Croatia, Mexico were put in Group A; Australia, Chile, Netherlands and Spain in Group B; Colombia, Greece, Ivory Coast and Japan in Group C; Costa Rica, England, Italy and Uruguay in Group D; Ecuador, France, Honduras and Switzerland in Group E; and Argentina, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Iran and Nigeria in Group F. The U.S. will feel pressure to open with a win against 24th-ranked Ghana. The Black Stars defeated the Americans 2-1 in the 2006 group stage and by the same score in overtime in the round of 16 at the last World Cup in South Africa. "Theyre the team that beat us, kind of crushed our dreams of being in the World Cup, so I think were due a little bit of luck and were due a win against them," Dempsey said. At the 2002 tournament, the U.S. opened with a 3-2 upset of Portugal after taking a shocking three-goal lead in the first 36 minutes. Several of the American players are of German descent, so all three matchups are intriguing. The U.S. will train at home from mid-May until early June and plans a series of exhibition games, which likely will include England as an opponent, before heading to Brazil. "Everybody is saying that this is the Group of Death and its such a hard challenge," former American captain John Harkes said. "I still think that the U.S. can rise to the occasion." Air Max 90 Sale .com) - The San Francisco Giants delivered plenty of big hits to tie the World Series. Fake Wholesale Shoes .com) - Former New York Mets general manager Omar Minaya is joining the Major League Baseball Players Association staff as a senior advisor to executive director Tony Clark. https://www.wholesaleshoesforcheap.com/ . And follow TSN.ca right through Deadline Day for all the updates. From Pierre LeBrun While Anaheim GM Bob Murray said earlier this season he was not going to trade Jonas Hiller despite the fact hes an unrestricted free agent on July 1, some sources have told TSN Hockey Insider Pierre LeBrun that Murray might be willing to move another goalie.KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Alex Gordon is eager for another marketing gimmick. Gordon and Salvador Perez homered, Danny Duffy pitched into the seventh inning and the Kansas City Royals beat the San Francisco Giants 7-4 Sunday for their seventh consecutive victory. The Royals gave out 10,000 Gordon bobbleheads for the series finale against San Francisco. Gordon, who played his college ball at Nebraska, also homered on Husker Night on Saturday. "Weve got to think of a promotion for tomorrow to keep it going," Gordon said. The big weekend is part of a nice roll for Gordon, who is batting .350 (14 for 40) with three homers and seven RBIs in his last 11 games. "Gordy is not swinging the bat well because it is Husker day or because it was bobblehead day," Yost said. "Gordy is swinging the bat well because he is seeing the ball well and putting good swings on it." The Royals, who won 10 in a row in June, have put together two winning streaks of seven or more games this season for the first time since 1985, the last time they were in the playoffs. They moved within one-half game of first-place Detroit in the AL Central. The Tigers lost 6-5 to the Toronto Blue Jays in 19 innings on Sunday. Gordon hit a two-run shot off Tim Lincecum (9-8) in a four-run first. The inning also included Billy Butlers run-producing double and Perez scoring on a wild pitch. "He was all over the board," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said of Lincecum. "When he threw a strike or threw an off-speed pitch it was up. He regrouped, but its tough when you get down four runs." Perez homered off Juan Gutierrez with Nori Aoki aboard in a three-run fourth. Aoki reached base four times -- two walks and two singles -- and stole three bases. Jarrod Dyson went 3 for 3 and also swiped a career-high three bases. Duffy (7-10) allowed four runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings iin winning back-to-back starts for the first time this season. Wholesale Shoes. He walked two in the seventh and both scored on an Andrew Susacs double. "You are really comfortable on the mound," Duffy said after the four-run first. "The offence just keeps doing their job. Its been a lot of fun to watch." Lincecum, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings. Lincecum, who is winless since July 11, has a 10.59 ERA in his past four starts, giving up 20 runs and 28 hits in 17 innings. "You just see how far you can go to give your team a chance to fight back and get in the game," Lincecum said. Wade Davis pitched a scoreless eighth and Greg Holland worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth while picking up his American League-leading 34th save in 36 opportunities. ON DECK Giants: After an off day Monday, right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, who has won his past two starts, will pitch Tuesday against the White Sox, the only big league team he has never faced. Royals: Rookie Yordano Ventura starts the opener of a four-game series with Oakland. Ventura is 4-6 with a 3.39 ERA this season at home. TRAINING ROOM Giants: Michael Morse was a late scratch with an ingrown toenail. Gregor Blanco replaced him in left field. Royals: Luke Hochevar, who had Tommy John surgery in spring training, will begin a throwing program on Sept. 10. A GIANT MOVE The Giants recalled first baseman Adam Duvall from Triple-A Fresno. Duvall was among the Pacific Coast League leaders with 26 homers, 84 RBIs and a .596 slugging percentage at the time of the promotion. Outfielder Juan Perez was sent down to Fresno. RUNNING ROYALS The seven stolen bases were one shy of the Royals record, set on Aug. 1, 1998, against Baltimore. Aoki and Dyson are the first Royals teammates to steal three bases in the same game. ' ' '