SAO PAULO - Landon Donovan says the United States will head to the World Cup with its most experienced group of players, giving the Americans a "real chance" to do well at this years tournament. As the U.S. finishes a week-and-a-half training camp in the host country, Donovan said American players have enough confidence and experience to confront more traditional World Cup teams heading into a first round that includes matches against Germany, Portugal and Ghana. "I think the experience that we have now far exceeds the experience that we ever had with any team, and that lines up to give us a real chance," Donovan said Thursday. "We are confident in how we play. We are confident in what we do. Our guys have had enough experiences against all of these players, against teams like Ghana, Portugal, Germany. ... We feel confident that we can get results against them, and thats a nice feeling going into a World Cup." The U.S. opens against Ghana on June 16, plays Cristiano Ronaldos Portugal six days later and closes the group stage against Germany on June 26. The Americans will be playing in their seventh straight World Cup, and Donovan is heading to his fourth. "Theres never been competition for places like there is in our team now," the midfielder said during a news conference. "You can really make a case for probably 35 or 40 guys to be a part of a 23-man roster, and thats never been the case. Its really up for grabs in a lot of positions, and that in itself obviously creates competition, which makes the team better." Donovan, who turns 32 in March, said the U.S. team is more respected by opponents. "The reason its the group of death is because we are in it," he said. "In the past, it would have been a relatively easier group for Germany or Ghana or Portugal because they had us in it. But now, because we are in it, it makes it one of the most difficult groups in the tournament." Donovan said the first goal remains to reach the knockout stage of the 32-nation tournament. "Our expectations, like most teams, are to get out of the group," he said. "We are aware that we have a difficult group, but the expectation is that we can do it and we are going to try to get out of our group, just like most teams in this World Cup. That is the objective. That is the goal. But we feel good about where we are at." German coach Jurgen Klinsmann brought 26 players to this training camp get acclimated to the teams World Cup base in South Americas biggest city. The team, mostly with players from Major League Soccer, will play an exhibition against South Korea on Feb. 1 at Carson, Calif. "Weve been very lucky to have two weeks here in Sao Paulo," Donovan said. "Its been very nice to have a couple of weeks to adapt to what its going to be like this summer. When we come back we have a comfort level. We know the people, the club, the training facilities. It makes it a lot easier. You get a feeling for what its like here, and it helps a lot." Klinsmann is expected to visit the Arena da Amazonia on Friday in the jungle city of Manaus, where the U.S. will play Portugal. Brett Butler Dodgers Jersey . On Tuesday, the star questioned whether that was still the case. Speaking to reporters at a charity event, Johnson said: "I just kind of wonder sometimes: Is this still the place for me?" Johnsons comments came after he was asked why he recently skipped a voluntary minicamp. Dodgers Jerseys China . The team reported the signing on its website Thursday, but said Friday the deal was off in "a mutual parting of the ways that had to do with the language of the contract. https://www.cheapdodgersonline.com/275h-...ey-dodgers.html. As Valanciunas was whistled for a rare technical toward the end of the third quarter - a result of waving his hand at an official after being called for a foul - Lowry pulled the Raptors sophomore aside, corralling him by his jersey and patting him on the back. Keibert Ruiz Jersey .C. -- Only two Syracuse teams have won their first 20 games, and C. Los Angeles Dodgers Shirts .C. Lions 35-14, was named the CFLs offensive player of the week Tuesday. Sheets recorded his ninth 100-yard rushing performance of the season to tie the Riders club record.Dallas, TX - Kenneth Dixon finished with two touchdowns to lift Louisiana Tech to a 35-18 victory over Illinois in the Heart of Dallas Bowl at Cotton Bowl Stadium on Friday. Dixon rushed for 63 yards on 13 carries and also caught an 80-yard touchdown pass for the Bulldogs (9-5), who won their first bowl game since 2008. These football players have accomplished so much in this year, and (in) a year that no one expected much out of them with so many new faces and young guys, said Louisiana Tech head coach Skip Holtz. The way that they came in here, the way they competed, and the way we grew as a football team during the course of the year, this was the opportunity to finish this season the right way. And I couldnt be more proud of this football team, the way they competed. Cody Sokol completed 14-of-28 passes for 247 yards and a score and Blake Martin and Jarred Craft each added rushing touchdowns in the win. Reilly OToole threw for 290 yards on 23-of-38 passing with a touchdown pass to Jon Davis and an interception, while Donovonn Young had a rushing score for the Illini (6-7). Illinois made it a one-possession game midway through the third quarter. OToole avoided another three-and-out as he connected with Geronimo Allison on a 19-yard pass on 3rd-and-13. After a roughing the passer call kept the Bulldogs on the field and a 15-yard catch from Allison, Young ran for 11 yards down to the 3-yard line and plunged into the end zone for a 21-15 game with 6:04 remaining in the third. Kyle Fischer missed a 44-yard field goal for the Bulldogs on the next series, but Illinois David Reisner fared better after he got a favorable bounce off the right upright for a 43-yard field goal to cap a 10-play, 49-yard march and make it a 21-18 game less than a minute into the final stanza. The Fighting Illini appeared to get a break during the following possession as LaKeith Walls knocked the ball out of Sokols hands. Jihad Ward recovered the ball, but fumbled and Sokol came up with it to give the Bulldogs a fresh set of downs at their own 16. Five plays later, Dixon blasted through the line and into the end zone for a 28-18 score with 6:15 remaining. After holding Illinois to a three-and-out, Martin found a hole on the left side and ran 28 yards untouched into the end zone to cap the scoring for the Bulldogs with 3:43 to play. Louisiana Tecch started the scoring on its second drive of the day.dddddddddddd Dixons explosive 28-yard dash to Illinois 35 kick-started the march. After Sokol ran for nine yards, his throw on 4th-and-1 was off the mark, but the drive was extended by a holding penalty. Craft ran 16 yards was tackled just inside the pylon on the next play to make it a 7-0 game midway through the first. On Illinois ensuing drive, Mike Dudeks 50-yard run pushed the Fighting Illini deep into Louisiana Tech territory to help set up an eventual 27-yard field goal from Taylor Zalewski. The Bulldogs needed just one play to extend their lead. Sokol hit Dixon in stride with a pass on the right side and Dixon raced 80 yards down the field for a 14-3 score. Davis then sprinted across the middle of the field and hauled in a pass for a 25-yard touchdown to finish off a 5-play, 65-yard trek with 11:15 to play in the second. Zalewskis extra-point kick was no good after it hit off the upright. Xavier Woods picked off OTooles pass over the middle and took it back 69 yards to give Louisiana Tech a 21-9 lead after finishing off the play with a spectacular dive into the end zone with 7:20 to play in the second. I think theyve been very, very opportunistic in what theyve done this year, Illinois head coach Tim Beckman said of Louisiana Tech. I think thats the mark of a pretty darn good football team. They hit us with some long opportunistic plays, getting the ball to the two guys they wanted to get the ball to and, you know, weve just got to be able to stop those better. So, no question, those were big huge plays in this football game. After an intentional grounding penalty made it 3rd-and-23 for the Fighting Illini, Dudek made an 11-yard catch before David Reisners kick from 46 yards out veered wide left with 1:07 left in the first half. Game Notes Dixon now has 3,410 career yards rushing, surpassing Daniel Porter for the most in school history ... Dixon has scored at least one touchdown in all 14 games this season ... Bulldogs defensive end Houston Bates had a monster game, compiling 5 1/2 sacks and seven tackles ... Louisiana Tech won the only other meeting between the two meetings by a 52-24 score on Sept. 22, 2012 ... The Bulldogs defeated Northern Illinois, 17-10, in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28, 2008 ... Illinois outgained Louisiana Tech, 441-361. ' ' '