Today’s U.S.-Portugal World Cup match will be shown on a big screen television at the Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills while a public viewing event for the South Korea-Algeria match will be held in Koreatown.
The kickoff for the U.S.-Portugal match is set for 3 p.m. and will be preceded by 30 minutes of pregame coverage on ESPN, which will also be shown at Paley Center for Media.
The Paley Center for Media is located at 465 N. Beverly Drive. Admission is free and open to the public.
The free public viewing event for the South Korea-Algeria match is scheduled to begin at noon at 3700 Wilshire Blvd. in front of the headquarters of the Radio Korea Media Group. The public viewing will also include performances, refreshments and prize giveaways.
It is being organized by the Radio Korea Media Group in an attempt to “champion a greater sense of community amongst the residents of Greater Los Angeles,” a company official said.
The ABC telecast of the South Korea-Algeria match from Porto Alegre, Brazil will also be shown at Paley Center for Media, and be preceded by 30 minutes of pregame coverage beginning at 11:30 a.m.
A U.S. victory over Portugal in Manaus, Brazil would assure it of advancing to the round of 16 for the second consecutive World Cup and third in the last four. The U.S. would also be assured of advancing if it defeats Germany in its final game in group play Thursday or if it ties both Portugal and Germany.
Both teams will be making changes to their starting lineups from their openers in Group G. Forward Jozy Altidore will miss the game because of the hamstring injury that forced him out of the Americans’ 2-1 victory over Ghana Monday in the 23rd minute.
Coach Jurgen Klinsmann has not announced who will replace Altidore in the starting lineup. The likely options are Aron Johannsson, who replaced Altidore Monday, and Chris Wondolowski, the leading goal scorer in Major League Soccer in 2010 and 2012.
“Jozy is a special player. You can’t replace him,” Wondolowski said. “I think that both Aron and I bring different styles, different sets of skills that are useful and I think that’s what we have do is incorporate those skill sets and be able to fit into the game plan as well.”
Defender Matt Besler, the other U.S. player who was forced out of Monday’s game because of an injury, will be available to play, as will forward Clint Dempsey, who suffered a nasal fracture due to a high kick by Ghana defender John Boye in the first half. Dempsey remained in the game despite the injury.
Portugal will be without two of its starting defenders from its 4-0 loss
to Germany Monday.
Pepe is serving the mandatory one-game suspension for the red card he
received when he head-butted German star Thomas Muller in the 37th minute.
Fabio Coentrao will be sidelined for the remainder of the tournament because of
a groin injury he sustained in Monday’s match.
Portugal is led by forward Cristiano Ronaldo, the 2013 FIFA World Player of the Year who has scored 49 goals in 112 international matches.
“Cristiano Ronaldo is a supreme player,” Wondolowski said. “He has done amazing things and especially in this past year, the level he has taken is pretty special.
“We definitely have to stop him, but we don’t want anyone else to beat us. We’re not just focusing on one guy because when you do that, there are 10 other guys out there that can beat you.”
Portugal is fourth in the rankings compiled by FIFA, soccer’s worldwide governing body, nine spots ahead of the U.S. The series is tied, 2-2-1, with the U.S. winning the most recent match, 3-2, in the 2002 World Cup, the only previous World Cup meeting between the teams.
South Korea opened World Cup play by tying Russia, 1-1, on Tuesday in a Group H match. Algeria lost its opener to Belgium, 2-1, also on Tuesday. Algeria is ranked 22nd and South Korea tied for 57th.
South Korea defeated Algeria, 2-0, in the only previous match between the two teams, an exhibition in 1985.
