The Unites States Olympic men's soccer team arrived in Tianjin, a co-host city adjacent to Beijing, on Monday to finalize preparation for the Olympics.

The U.S. team, in Group B with Japan, Netherlands and Nigeria, will kick off its opening match against Japan on Aug. 7.

"It's no secret that we have a difficult challenge in front of us with our group, which is one of the most difficult in the tournament," Coach Peter Nowak said.

Three-time World Cup veteran Brian McBride, just returning from his international retirement, will play for the team at the Olympics. Nowak also enlisted goalkeeper Brad Guzan and defender Michael Parkhurst as over-age players in his squad.

Selecting the Olympic squad was tricky because the Olympics overlap with World Cup qualifying for the US national team.

"We're trying to accommodate the Olympic team, but we need to also keep in mind it's an important time for the senior team," Nowak said. "We need to make sure we field two competitive teams."

A total of 11 players were part of the US squad that booked the team's ticket to Beijing in March by finishing in second place in the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Eight different leagues from around the world are represented on the US roster, including the US Major League Soccer, which sends 10 players from six teams.

"We are very excited about the players that we have chosen to represent the United States at the Olympic Games," Nowak said.

(Xinhua News Agency August 4, 2008)