Meola returns to U.S. team

 ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Goalkeeper Tony Meola returned to the U.S. national team for the first time in 3 1/2 years as the Americans announced Monday they will play the Netherlands in Miami on Feb. 21.
 Meola, 28 next month, has been the starter for the New York-New Jersey MetroStars of Major League Soccer the past two years. He started for the United States during the 1990 and 1994 World Cups, then was dropped after a falling out with then-coach Bora Milutinovic.
 Meola hasn't appeared in an international game since the Americans were eliminated by Brazil in the second round on July 4, 1994.
 Steve Sampson, who replaced Milutinovic, needed goalkeepers for his training camp this month because his top three are with English teams: Kasey Keller (Leicester), Brad Friedel (Liverpool) and Juergen Sommer (Queens Park Rangers).
 Mark Dodd of the Dallas Burn also is at the training camp, which began Monday and runs through Feb. 23, the day before the United States opens its 1998 schedule with an exhibition game against Sweden.
 The Americans go to Oakland, Calif., for games against Cuba (Feb. 1) and Costa Rica (Feb. 7) in the first round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, the championship of soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean.
 On Monday, the United States said it will play the Netherlands for the first time in an exhibition game at Pro Player Stadium. The Dutch team will play Mexico on Feb. 24, also at Pro Player Stadium.
 In its preparations for the World Cup, the Americans will play Belgium at Brussels on Feb. 25 and Scotland at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., on May 30. The U.S. Soccer Federation also is attempting to schedule a game in Southern California earlier in May.
 The Americans open World Cup play against Germany at Paris on June 15, play Iran at Lyon six days later and complete the first round against Yugoslavia at Nantes on June 25.