Santa Ana Cup Soccer : Mexico City Team Defeats U.S., 2-0

Luis Alves scored one goal and assisted on another to lead Club America of Mexico City past the U.S. pre-selection team, 2-0, for the Santa Ana Cup championship in front of an overflow crowd of 10,500 Friday night at Santa Ana Stadium.

Alves’ efforts, combined with a quick Club America defense, supported goalkeeper Adrian Chavez, who kept the U.S. team off the scoreboard with 10 saves.

“Considering that we’ve been back together for only a few days, I was pleased with our play,” said U.S. Coach Jim Lennox, whose team is preparing for the World University Games in August. “Our defense was pretty well organized, but our offense wasn’t.”

Alves scored the first goal with 23 minutes left in the first half when his 25-yard line-drive kick took a wicked bounce past diving U.S. goalie Anton Nistl of UCLA.

Alves’ goal came 10 minutes after Nistl made a diving save of Gonzalo Farfan’s low, 10-yard shot from just outside the goalie’s box. The save was one of two Nistl made in the half.

Chavez, who had six saves in the first half, prevented the U.S. from scoring the game’s first goal with three minutes gone in the game when he made a leaping save of a rising line-drive kick by Ray Fernandez of UCLA.

Nine minutes later, the U.S. team again was stopped when Chavez jumped high to snare a header by San Diego State’s Eric Wynaldo after a scramble in front of the net.

Club America took a 2-0 lead 15 minutes into the second half when Carlos Hermosillo, after taking a pass from Alves, slammed a header past Indiana’s Juergan Sommer, who replaced Nistl in goal at the start of the half.