Sixteen years after a meeting which launched a reversal of World Cup fortune, US and Czech teams play again here Monday as ranked contenders needing a victory in a difficult Group E.

Second-ranked Czech Republic made an impressive Euro 2004 semi-final run with a veteran attacking squad while fifth-rated United States enters a fifth consecutive Cup finals appearance coming off a surprise 2002 World Cup quarter-final run.

"They're a great team but we're no slouches ourselves," US goalkeeper Kasey Keller said. "If we play to our ability we know we can beat them."

Victory will be vital with perennial power Italy and African power Ghana also trying to advance from Group E.

In their only prior match, the Czechs beat the US team 5-1 on their way to the 1990 quarter-finals as the Americans ended a 40-year World Cup drought. The Czechs have not played in the Cup finals since. The US team has not missed one since.

A dozen US players boast prior Cup experience. Keller and midfielder Claudio Reyna make their fourth Cup appearance. The Americans are 0-6 against European teams on European soil in the World Cup but have never been so knowledgeable.

"Experience is an advantage. There is a benefit to having played in the World Cup before," said US coach Bruce Arena, whose eight-year tenure is one of the longest of any World Cup coach. "Are we ready to win a World Cup? No. But we're moving in the right direction. We've been improving for the past eight years. That's why I'm still around."

Elusive Czech forward Milan Baros, the top scorer in Euro 2004 with five goals, has struggled in recent days with a foot injury that will make him a last-minute decision, although Arena expects him to play and play well.

A bigger worry is 2.01 meter tall forward Jan Koller, who has 42 goals in 68 matches. He returned in April from knee surgery and will threaten Keller, 36, who seeks his first Cup victory.

Pavel Nedved, the 2003 European Player of the Year, is back after 16 months off. The Juventus playmaker joins Tomas Rosicky in a formidable Czech midfield. Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, who turned 24 three weeks ago, was last year's European Goalkeeper of the Year after 24 shutouts and a scoreless streak of 1,025 minutes, both Premiership records.