Trio ready for World Cup

Valon Behrami and Jonathan Spector look likely to feature at the 2010 FIFA World Cup after being named in the Switzerland and United States squads respectively.

Midfielder Behrami has been a regular member of Ottmar Hitzfeld's squad since making his international debut in a 2006 World Cup qualifier against France in October 2005, earning 26 caps in total.

The 24-year-old played at the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany, only for a knee injury in the final group-stage fixture against Korea Republic to restrict his participation to just two minutes as Switzerland reached the second round.

Behrami will link up with Hitzfeld's squad for pre-World Cup friendlies against Costa Rica on 1 June and Italy on 5 June respectively. Switzerland begin their World Cup challenge by facing Spain in Durban on 16 June.

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Having been named in Bob Bradley's provisional 30-man squad, versatile defender Spector, meanwhile, will be keen to make up for lost time after missing the 2006 World Cup and 2008 Olympic Games with shoulder and hip injuries.

The 23-year-old will fly to his home city of Chicago on Saturday to participate in an eight-day training camp at Princeton University ahead of friendly meetings with Czech Republic and Turkey on 25 May and 29 May respectively.

The Americans, of course, face England in their opening group-stage fixture on 12 June, before tackling Slovenia and Algeria.

Striker Benni McCarthy, meanwhile, was named in Carlos Alberto Parreira's preliminary 29-man South Africa squad for the tournament in his home country last month.

The Bafana Bafana kick-off the tournament by taking on Guille Franco's Mexico in Johannesburg on 11 June, before facing France and Uruguay.

Finally, No2 goalkeeper Peter Kurucz has been included in Hungary's Under-21 squad for an international friendly with Norway at Briskeby Gressbane in Hamar on 28 May.