BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- The U.S. soccer team had a new altitude and a new attitude Monday.
A day after a 2-1 defeat in the smog at Mexico City's Estadio Azteca, 7,200 feet above sea level, the Americans practiced at the University of Alabama-Birmingham for Wednesday night's World Cup qualifier against Guatemala at Legion Field.
"We all took a big, deep breath when we got off the plane," U.S. captain Claudio Reyna said. "I think after the week, two weeks in some cases, the guys got at altitude, that we're going to be very fit now coming back to sea level."
On a cool, windy afternoon, the U.S. team (1-1) trained on a field where an American flag flapped along with the Alabama flag -- a red St. Andrew's cross on a white field, sort of like the English cross of St. George flag tilted over.
Birmingham is 640 feet above sea level, and getting back to the United States was, well, a breath of fresh air.
"It's the first time I haven't been breathing uncontrollably in 10 days," Landon Donovan said. "It's nice."
Following two road games, the Americans are tied for third with Costa Rica in the final round of qualifying in the North and Central American and Caribbean region, trailing Mexico (2-0) and Guatemala (1-0-1). The top three teams advance to the 32-nation field for next year's tournament in Germany, and the fourth-place team goes to a playoff against an Asian nation.
Donovan attributed his tentativeness in the first half Sunday to his lack of playing time with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany. He had not been in a game since March 7.
"I'm just not as sharp as I usually am," he said.
U.S. coach Bruce Arena didn't want to hear any of that.
"I think Landon has to say, 'I don't feel rusty,' because that's psychologic," Arena said. "It's not like Landon hasn't touched a soccer ball in three months. He's got to have his mind-set that he can get out there and play and have an impact on the game."
Donovan may be headed back to Major League Soccer. Kicker magazine and the Los Angeles Times reported last week that the Los Angeles Galaxy are close to a trade that would send Carlos Ruiz -- Guatemala's star forward -- to Dallas to acquire Donovan.
"I know that I have a decision to make in a couple days, but until then I'll be worried about Guatemala," Donovan said.
The U.S. player of the year for three straight years, Donovan says his club situation isn't a distraction, "not in the slightest," and that he thinks about it only when reporters ask.
Arena said that had better be the case.
"His job is to get on the field and play," the coach said. "You can't be worrying about his club situation at this point and neither can he. That's important. If Landon is more worried about other things, then it might be we have to make a change."
Donovan thought one half was enough to get his sharpness back and that he was excited to get ready for Wednesday's game.
"I want to just crush Guatemala," he said.
Guatemala is coming off a 5-1 win at home Saturday over Trinidad and Tobago (0-2), which lost its opener to the United States 2-1 last month. Ruiz and Dwight Pezzarosi each scored twice.
While the Americans are tied for 10th in the world rankings, the Guatemalans are 62nd.
"Guatemela is a very good team coming off probably one of their biggest wins ever," Arena said. "We expect a team coming in here probably with confidence and realizing that they can sit back a little bit and make us play."
