JOYOUS CZECHS HOP, HOP, HOP FANS IN PRAGUE CELEBRATE VICTORY OVER THE UNITED STATES.

Byline: BILLY WITZ Staff Writer

PRAGUE, Czech Republic - Jan Stanek had just finished his symphony rehearsal, but instead of heading home or to a pub as planned, he pulled on his red Czech soccer jersey and walked over to the city's historic town square, where he joined about 10,000 other revelers on the cobblestone streets to watch the Czech Republic's opening match of the World Cup on a pair of 25-foot-high screens.

``I was walking around and I said: `Why not come here?''' said Stanek, who plays the double bass. ``Everybody's been waiting a long time for this occasion.''

It had been 16 years since the Czechs had been to a World Cup, long enough for the Czech Republic to separate from Slovakia, long enough for its citizens to elect a poet as president and long enough to watch virtually every other European country on sport's world stage.

The occasion also was important enough that this year's presidential elections -- traditionally held in mid-June -- were moved up two weeks so that Czechs wouldn't have to choose whether to vote or travel to Germany. Not an easy decision these days.

It all seemed worth the trouble Monday after a 3-0rout of the United States, which proved at least one thing hadn't changed: The Americans still are no match for the Czechs, having lost to them 5-1 when they last played in the Cup in 1990.

In their capital, Czech fans, with a beer seemingly in every set of hands and every face painted red, white and blue -- the white goes on top, just like the head on the national drink -- took the party home with them. After bouncing around the square, they rocked metro trains with their ubiquitous chant. ``Kdo Neskace Neni Cech! Hup! Hup! Hup!'' -- If you don't jump, you're not Czech as they hop, hop, hopped.

That refrain also usually serves as a play on the last name of world-class goalkeeper Peter Cech -- something poet and former president Vaclav Havel might appreciate -- but Cech rarely was required to be on his toes Monday.

So thoroughly did the Czech Republic dominate, the only moment of anxiousness came when striker Jan Koller, who scored the initial goal, went off late in the first half with a hamstring injury.

``The USA didn't stand a chance,'' said George Honc, a soldier in the Army who was festooned with a red, white and blue top hat.

As it turned out, the Americans were outclassed off the field, as well. While a Czech rock band that entertained the crowd beforehand played ``Sweet Home Chicago'' for the several dozen mostly young Americans in the crowd, the only noise they could generate was a pregame chant of ``America. ... F---, yeah.''

That the Czechs showed better comportment probably had little to do with winning. They consume more beer per capita than any other country, but lager louts are rare. Coincidence or not, the city was home to the Velvet Revolution in 1989 and its patron saint is the Good King Wenceslas.

``People are very excited,'' said Tomas Metelka, an accountant. ``This is a new experience for us. Until the revolution, we could not travel. Now we can and people have money. You will see in the stadiums; there will be 10,000 to 15,000 Czech fans.''

All week long, Czech coach Karel Bruckner tried to tamp that enthusiasm, warning about overlooking the United States. While his players parroted the message, fans had a hard time even coming up with the names of their opponents. Amongst a half-dozen fans, the only American players they could name were Brian McBride, Kasey Keller and Cobi Jones, the latter of whom hasn't been a fixture on the national team since 1998.

Such anonymity isn't a problem with the Czech players. Cech is featured in an advertising billboard all over town, midfielder Pavel Nedved was voted in one poll the best player in Europe in 2003, and midfielder Tomas Rosicky showed with the first of his two goals -- a sensational strike from just outside the box -- why London-based Premiership club Arsenal paid a $15million transfer fee for him.

With those players and strikers Koller and Milan Baros, who was injured and did not play, the surprise isn't how the Czechs reached the semifinals of the European Championships in 2004. Or, with Nedved, how they'd reached the European finals in 1996. Rather, it was how could this team not qualify until this year -- and barely at that?

It wasn't until Nedved -- who said two years ago that he'd only play for his club team, Juventus of Turin 7/8 returned in the fall, after pleading from his teammates to help the Czechs beat Norway in a playoff, that they clinched a berth.

While there are obstacles -- not the least of which is the injury to Koller -- Czech fans are buoyed with the optimism that the soccer team can replicate the success of the other national sport: hockey. The Czech team won the gold medal at the 1998 Olympics.

``Waiting 16 years has been difficult,'' Metelka said. ``But we have a good team. I think it's 50-50 we can win (the World Cup).''

That might be a quite a leap, but for a country that values its words, the power of suggestion could go a long way -- hup, hup, hup.

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(color) Czech fans have had to wait 16 years between World Cups, and their enthusiasm Monday was impossible to ignore.

Hasan Sarbakhshian/Associated Press