COLUMBUS, Ohio - When the United States begins World Cup qualifying Sunday, the eighth-ranked Americans will play the Caribbean island nation of Grenada, a lowly 145th. U.S. coach Bruce Arena isn't thinking about the game as a mismatch. "We're really focused on having our team prepared in the right way to play Grenada," he said Tuesday. "We don't take any of our opponents lightly. We think this certainly has the potential to have a very difficult game on Sunday." In March, a well-below-full-strength U.S. team needed a second-half injury time goal from Danny Califf to gain a 1-1 tie with lowly Haiti, ranked 86th. "It was a lesson well learned and hopefully that will not occur on Sunday," Arena said. "Grenada will come in here with the dream of knocking off what they perceive as a powerhouse." The United States, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, had a bye in the first-round of the North and Central American region, while Grenada beat Guyana on 8-1 aggregate. The winner of the home-and-home, total-goal series, which concludes June 20 in Grenada, advances to a semifinal group likely to include Jamaica, El Salvador and Panama. "We've become a team to beat now, doing so well in the last World Cup," defender Frankie Hejduk said. "But we've got to go out and prove it wasn't a fluke." Arena said Grenada boasts offensive threats in Jason Roberts, who scored eight league goals last season for Wigan Athletic in the English first division, and Ricky Charles, who had 18 goals and 16 assists last year for the University of South Carolina-Spartanburg. "We'll give our opponent the proper respect and proper preparation, and we're hopeful that we'll be off to a good start and be successful on Sunday, knowing that the second leg in Grenada will be difficult," Arena said. Kasey Keller, the American starter at the 1998 World Cup and a backup at the 1990 and 2002 tournaments, will be in goal on Sunday. Jonny Walker of the MetroStars is Keller's backup. Forward Clint Mathis and goalkeeper Brad Friedel, who started at the World Cup two years ago, will miss the game because of injuries, and goalkeeper Tim Howard is being given time off following his first season with Manchester United. SOURCE: CARIBUPDATE.COM