Countdown to 2014 World Cup in Brazil: Day 46

The 2014 World Cup begins on June 12, when Brazil plays Croatia in the opening match. Reporters and editors for The Times will count down to the start of the tournament each day with a short capsule of news and interesting tidbits.

Players who are expected to lead the United States strike force in Brazil - and one with an outside chance - had an up-and-down weekend during league play in the United States and Europe.

Clint Dempsey appeared to have shaken off any residue of injury and adjusted to a quick shift from England to Major League Soccer.

Dempsey scored two goals as Seattle subdued Colorado, 4-1, in Major League Soccer on Saturday. Dempsey, a Texas native, leads the league with eight goals and has a goal or an assist in each of the first-place Sounders' past six games.

'The year I scored 23 with Fulham, I was on a pretty good run there, but it feels good,' Dempsey told newsandtalking.blogspot.com after the game. 'We're in a good rhythm as a team, we have a good locker room, and I think that shows on the field in our play.'

Dempsey, the captain of the national team, returned to M.L.S. late last season from Tottenham, but he spent part of the winter playing at Fulham on loan. His move back to M.L.S. initially left the national team coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, less than impressed, but Klinsmann has tempered his earlier comments with an eye on Brazil.

'I'm very happy that Clint has picked up the rhythm and found his confidence and is part of almost every goal that Seattle scores,' Klinsmann said. 'That's really a good sign. It's great for us going into the final weeks before we hit the preparation for the World Cup knowing that he's building his confidence more and more and more,' he said.

He added: 'And it's due to his hard work that he put in for January, February, being at Fulham. It was not a successful time, but he built a foundation for the months afterward so he seems now, at the right time, at the right spot.'

In Europe, three Americans have been hot, cool and ice-cold.

Juan Agudelo, who has only an outside chance of making the team that goes to Brazil but could be a factor four years down the road, notched an assist in Utrecht's 4-1 loss to Heerenveen on Sunday in a match in the Dutch league.

Also in the Netherlands, Aron Johannsson was subbed out of the match in the 60th minute when AZ Alkmaar lost, 2-1, at ADO Den Haag. AZ has now gone six matches without a victory while Johannsson remains the team's top scorer with 17 goals.

Jozy Altidore 's nightmare season at Sunderland in England's Premier League probably could not end soon enough. Altidore rode the bench again while the host Black Cats won their second straight game for the first time since February in a 4-0 win over Cardiff City. With striker Conner Wickham again leading the offense, Sunderland has nudged its way out of the relegation zone (on goal differential) with two matches to play.

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