Wake-Up Call Is Too Late for U.S. : South Korea Catches Americans Napping, Gets 2-1 Win
The U.S. national soccer team played one good half out of four in its two Marlboro Cup games at the Coliseum. Fortunately for its coaches and players, the good one came last. So they at least were able to leave town with a positive attitude. No victories, though.
After losing, 2-0, Thursday night to the formidable Italian team, Juventus of Turin, the United States lost, 2-1, Sunday to South Korea’s national team in the third-place game.
Both South Korean goals came in the first half, 45 minutes of the most hapless soccer the United States has played in months. Although the South Koreans can handle themselves internationally, they are not a world power. But the Americans made them look like Brazil.
Perhaps that is the role of a good host. The South Koreans certainly could not complain about the hospitality when their first goal was scored by a U.S. defender, Jimmy Banks.
When Banks collided with two South Koreans in front of the goal in the game’s 16th minute, the ball bounced off the back of his head, catching U.S. goalkeeper David Vanole out of position, and dribbled slowly into the net.
Six minutes later, the South Koreans scored a more traditional goal when their brilliant midfielder, Kim Joo Sung, split two U.S. defenders and when Vanole came out of the goal mouth to meet him, passed to forward Hwang Seon Hong, who scored easily.
That was the South Koreans’ last goal, although they had other opportunities. They had seven shots on goal in the first half. The Americans had none.
“In the first half, we were walking both physically and mentally,” U.S. Coach Bob Gansler said. “If nothing else, this game showed our young men that it’s very difficult to win a game in 45 minutes.”
Yet, the United States could have done it.
Gansler said his players did not change their strategy, just their execution. It certainly did not hurt the Americans that Kim was taken out of the game with 20 minutes left. At that point, the South Koreans had nine shots on goal. After that, they had only one.
The United States finished with five shots on goal, finally scoring with about 29 minutes remaining when forward Eric Eichmann pushed his free kick to midfielder John Harkes, who kicked the ball around the South Korean wall. Goalkeeper Kim Poong Jo got a hand on it but could not prevent it from finding the net.
Considering that the United States was the aggressor for the remainder of the game, the South Koreans probably were fortunate to allow only one goal. But they were satisfied with the victory after playing so poorly Thursday night in a 4-2 loss to Mexico.
Both the United States and South Korea now turn their attention to qualifying for the 1990 World Cup in Italy.
Undefeated in six games in Asia, South Korea has an important tournament scheduled for October that will determine its future. With four games remaining in its North and Central America and Caribbean round-robin tournament, the United States is tied for second place with Trinidad and Tobago. The top two teams advance.
Despite their loss to South Korea, U.S. players were encouraged after Sunday’s game when they learned that winless El Salvador played Trinidad and Tobago to a scoreless tie in a qualifying game in Honduras.
