STANFORD, Calif. Michel Briere Jersey . -- Matt Besler and Geoff Cameron might hear it from every angle if they were paying any attention or had a moments spare time. They could be reminded every day that this is the first time since 1990 the U.S. heads to a World Cup with no central defenders having played previous minutes in soccers showcase event. And that makes an already daunting task in Group G much more challenging for the Americans, who face Ghana, Portugal and Germany next month in Brazil. The competition for spots on the Americans back line is fierce, leaving no time to analyze the groups inexperience. "For us, theres nothing we can do about it," Besler said before Sundays training at Stanford Stadium. "We cant change the fact that weve never experienced a World Cup. Were looking at it as a great opportunity. Weve never done it before but everyone is excited and really hungry to prove that we belong here and that we can do well." Nobody knows how the foursome will look for the teams World Cup opener June 16 against Ghana in Natal, yet coach Jurgen Klinsmann will get a glimpse during an exhibition against Azerbaijan on Tuesday night at Candlestick Park. He has several choices for each defensive spot. If there are concerns with Omar Gonzalez, who tweaked his left knee during a May 3 game with the Los Angeles Galaxy against Colorado, Klinsmann might go with Cameron in the middle alongside Besler. Gonzalez has since returned to full training. "I think the competition is healthy, and its definitely alive and well here," Gonzalez said. "Before I got injured, I was probably the fittest Ive been in a very long time." Cameron plays right back for Stoke in the Premier League but insists he only needs a couple of reps at centre back in practice, scrimmages or exhibitions to find a groove again. "When youre playing against Man United, Chelsea, Everton, Tottenham, youre playing all the big boys every single weekend against the best competition, theres no room for mental errors, theres no complaining about how tired you are or this or that because the games come so quick," Cameron said. "For me, it was a learning process the first year. As the second year comes, you get more comfortable, youre confident going into the other stadiums." Besler, the 27-year-old Sporting Kansas City star who was the 2012 MLS Defender of the Year, has played in the middle with both Cameron and Gonzalez. Cameron and Besler very well could start in the centre back spots for the opener. Fabian Johnson or Timmy Chandler might play right back, though Johnson said he has seen regular time there. "I played right back in all the scrimmages so Im ready for this position," Johnson said Sunday. DaMarcus Beasley could be on the left as he looks to become the first American to play in four World Cups. "It is different playing with different guys. Everyone has different styles," Besler said. "I think as a team we play the same but when you have different guys back there you have to make little adjustments depending on whos back there. But for me I have experience with both. Ive played in World Cup qualifiers with Geoff, with Omar. I feel comfortable with anyone, really." If midfielder Jermaine Jones is suspended at some point for accumulation of yellow cards, Klinsmann might call upon Johnson in the defensive midfield. While experience on the defence would certainly be preferred at this stage, goalkeeper Tim Howard will help everyone get up to speed. "All things considered, of course youd like to have some guys back there who understand the rhythm and the pacing and the difference of a World Cup," said Alexi Lalas, a starting U.S. defender for the 1994 World Cup, former MLS general manager and current analyst. "This decision was made a long time ago, regardless of the final personnel, you knew you were going to have some World Cup inexperience out there. And we still dont know how the back four is going to look. "With that being decided and the veterans no longer being part of the scene, it was about getting some sort of understanding, communication and comfort with the defence. Thats really a much more important piece considering theres not going to be World Cup experience." Cameron is considered a central defender by Klinsmann. "Ive said that over three years I think his best position is centre back," Klinsmann said. "And its good to know he can play right back, too, and its good to know he can play a No. 6, too. Still I think his best fit, his best game for himself is the centre back role." Klinsmann isnt making a big deal about the teams lack of experience. Only five players among the 23 have appeared in a World Cup. "The plan is to help them in that process, to get in that World Cup with a lot of confidence and being sure that they know what theyre doing. In every training session we will work on those pieces and we will guide them through all the different things that happen during a game, preparing the best way possible for the opponents they face in the group stage already," Klinsmann said of the defence. "Im sure theyre going to be very well prepared and they will be ready for the task. Theres always a first time in life in whatever you do. Its for some the first World Cup, though its the first of hopefully many World Cups to come for them. Im not worried about the inexperience." NOTES: Landon Donovan, cut by Klinsmann on Thursday, broke the Major League Soccer goal record Sunday night. He returned to the LA Galaxy to score his 135th and 136th regular-season goals in a 4-1 victory over the Philadelphia Union. Brian Dumoulin Jersey . Top-seeded Djokovic swept to a 6-1, 6-3 win over 51st-ranked Roberto Bautista Agut of Spain in just 57 minutes, but fourth-seeded Federer had to see off a serious challenge from 48th-ranked Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic before coming through 6-2, 6-7 (4), 6-3. Pittsburgh Penguins Jerseys . PETERSBURG, Fla. http://www.penguinsauthenticofficial.com/sidney-crosby-jersey/ . And thats good news for Canada. Kelly, who plays No. 8 at the back of the scrum, is captain of the Canadian womens team. ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Matching the Chicago Blackhawks is a tough task, and the Minnesota Wild werent going to catch up without more presence and production from their top forwards. After a couple of quiet games and two sluggish periods, Mikael Granlund, Zach Parise and the rest of the Wilds skill-position players came to life. Granlund scored twice, Parise had a goal and an assist, and Erik Haula jump-started the Wild by scoring early in the third period in a 4-0 victory over the Blackhawks on Tuesday in Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinal series. "The big guys definitely came through tonight," Wild coach Mike Yeo said. Ilya Bryzgalov made 19 saves for his first shutout in the playoffs in eight years, and the Blackhawks had their lead whittled to 2-1 with their first loss in 2 1/2 weeks. "Today is a tremendous team effort," Bryzgalov said. "We play very, very, very nice hockey." Game 4 is Friday in Minnesota. The announced attendance of 19,416 was the most in franchise history, but the atmosphere didnt match that until shortly after the second intermission. Pucks were whizzing way wide of the net, and clogged shooting lanes led to plenty of thwarted opportunities for both sides. "Theyre probably as tight a team as were going to play all year," Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville said. Haula finally brought the fans to their feet. The rookie centre from Finland, once a standout for the University of Minnesota, started the play from the neutral zone and finished in front of the rush for a tap-in of Justin Fontaines slick pass through the defence. Then less than 3 minutes later, Granlund took a pass from Jason Pominville and went to his backhand to slip a high shot past Corey Crawfords glove for the 2-0 lead. The crowd began to taunt the goalie with a "Craw-ford! Craw-ford!" chant, and Parise put the exclamation point on the night with a power-play goal, the first in 25 chances for the Wild over their last two playoff series against the Blackhawks. Then Granlund tacked on an empty-netter with 1:17 left. "We know when we play like we can, we can beat any team in this league, especially here at home," Granlund said. Crawfordd stopped only 14 shots for the Blackhawks, who dropped their first two games to St. Dominik Simon Jersey. Louis in the last round before winning four in a row. Since losing to the Blues on April 19, they took the lead in all six games and outscored their opponents 23-9. Despite outscoring the Wild 9-3 in the first two games of this series, the Blackhawks have not been able to test Bryzgalov much. "We cant let it frustrate us. We just have to do something about it," captain Jonathan Toews said, adding: "Theyre a smart defensive team. Give them credit. But its more about what were not doing." The blue liners were in full force early for Blackhawks, who blocked a whopping 25 shots in Game 2, six more than the Wild even sent at the net. Niklas Hjalmarsson bravely took one on the neck Sunday, and while the seventh-year veteran was cleared to play, the Swede wasnt even allowed to talk. Quenneville said before the game he wasnt worried about any communication problems between Hjalmarsson and his teammates. Had he been able to yell, Hjalmarsson wouldve been easy to hear for most of the night. For all the noise this crowd made in the last round, the synergy between vocal fan support and a relentless attack by the Wild was largely missing during the first 40 minutes. Yeo said this was the tightest-checking game hed ever been a part of. The offence came, eventually. Pominville has only one goal in nine playoff games, but he had two assists in this one. Mikko Koivu didnt make the scoring summary, but Yeo said his captain played a critical part in helping stifle the Blackhawks and their top lines. None of the Wilds top six forwards scored in the first two games, with Parise and Pominville managing the only assists. The Wild faced yet another desperate situation after trailing 2-0 in the last round against the Colorado Avalanche. "It was pretty familiar territory for us. We knew we had to win the game," Parise said. NOTES: The Blackhawks scratched defenceman Nick Leddy, his first absence since his rookie season of 2010-11. Quenneville said he wanted Sheldon Brookbank in the lineup for a physical presence. ... Bryzgalov had three shutouts in the 2006 playoffs for Anaheim. ' ' '