U.S. Aggressive Enough to Lead, but Not Enough to Beat Swiss

A series of games designed to build confidence was followed by one Saturday that was meant to tell the United States whether it is prepared to play on soccer’s ultimate stage, the World Cup, for the first time in 40 years.

The answer echoing off the Alps after a 2-1 loss to Switzerland was a resounding yes--maybe.

Playing before a crowd of 4,500 on a dreary, drizzly day at Epenmoos Stadium, the U.S. players should have been encouraged because the game was theirs to win.

But they gave it away with a strategy that, however appropriate, might be second-guessed for another 40 years if U.S. Coach Bob Gansler used it with the same result in next Sunday’s World Cup opener in Florence, Italy, against Czechoslovakia.

It was only the second loss in eight games since April 8 for the United States. It beat some fair teams such as Poland and Partizan Belgrade of Yugoslavia and tied Ajax of Amsterdam during that run, but victims also included lowly regarded Iceland, Malta and Liechtenstein.

Recognizing that the players needed a truer test in the final game before the World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Federation scheduled Switzerland. Although the Swiss did not earn a berth in the World Cup, they tied defending champion Argentina, beat Romania and lost only 1-0 to Italy in exhibitions.

Six players who had roles in some of those games were not in the lineup Saturday because they represent teams that will play for the Swiss Cup Monday night. But it was a respectable team with a style much like Czechoslovakia’s that the United States dominated in the first half.

The Americans’ offensive aggressiveness was rewarded in the 22nd minute when midfielder John Harkes headed the ball to midfielder John Stollmeyer, who passed it through the Swiss defense to an open forward, Bruce Murray.

Man-to-man with goalkeeper Philipp Walker, Murray dribbled forward about five yards. When Walker dived for the ball, Murray kicked it under him to score.

The Swiss argued that Murray was offsides, but it will be recorded as his eighth international goal, leaving him one short of the U.S. record held by Ricky Davis.

If the United States had continued to display the same all-out attack, or even the same intensity, it would be busing to Tirrenia, Italy, today for its World Cup training camp in in a winning frame of mind.

Instead, Gansler instructed his team at halftime to play more conservatively, protecting the lead and counter-attacking when opportunities presented themselves. They might have learned something that will be useful in the World Cup, but the approach lost Saturday’s game.

As expected, the Swiss began the second half by mounting one attack after another. That led only to one misfire after another as the United States retreated into a defensive shell.

But when the Swiss paused to catch their breath, the United States failed to counter-attack.

Whenever the United States got the ball into the Swiss end of the field, it was usually because goalkeeper Tony Meola punted it there. If time of possession were recorded in soccer, it would appear as if the Swiss were on the field by themselves in the second half.

The U.S. defense broke in the 71st minute. On a free kick from barely outside the penalty area, Marc Hottiger got the ball inside to Peter Schepull, who had beaten Harkes for position near the goal. Schepull’s shot was barely out of Meola’s reach near the top of the net.

Having lost the lead, the United States tried to reassert itself offensively. But it was like trying to restart a motor that has idled too long.

With momentum on their side, the Swiss scored the game winner in the 80th minute. Adrian Knup passed the ball through the U.S. defense to Hottiger, who went one-on-one with Meola.

Meola ran out from the goal line to cut down the angle, failed to make the save and continued running toward the linesman to complain that a Swiss player was offsides.

“He was clearly offsides,” U.S. defender Desmond Armstrong said. “At least three of our guys raised their hands, pointing out when he went off. We’re pretty honest.”

No one had to twist Murray’s arm to hear his honest opinion of the second-half strategy.

“I want to win, but I don’t want to win that way,” he said. “Well, I want to win any way. I just want to play right. I wanted us to continue doing what we were doing.”

Gansler said there was nothing wrong with the tactics, only the execution.

“In the second half, we tried not only to win this game but treat it like a dress rehearsal for the World Cup,” he said. “We tried to reinforce the defense but go on counter-raids. The first part was fine, but we didn’t go on the counter-raids.”

If the United States is fortunate enough to lead one of its first-round World Cup opponents--Czechoslovakia, Italy or Austria--it probably will have to employ the same strategy. As all three of those teams are considered superior, it would not be wise to slug it out with them for 90 minutes.

“In general, we would approach it the same way we did today,” Gansler said. “What you can’t do is forget your aggressive mentality. Whether we pressure them in their end of the field or ours, the key word is still pressure.”

Stollmeyer blamed the players.

“We didn’t have the intensity in the second half,” he said. “Maybe people have to dig down a little more.”

At least the breakdown gave Gansler something to work on in Tirrenia. He might also have to make an adjustment in the outside left midfield, where Eric Wynalda plays after spending most of his career as a forward. He was benched in he second half.

“It’s just not right to ask me to play a position that’s not offensive,” said Wynalda, who was moved to the midfield last month to give the starting 11 another scoring threat.

“I’m definitely not a defensive player. I had to make 80-yard sprints the whole game, back and forth. Then, if I get into the offense, I don’t get the ball.”

Gansler may either have to change Wynalda’s responsibilities or find another starting midfielder, perhaps Marcelo Balboa or Chris Henderson. Otherwise, the lineup appears settled.

“This was the right kind of game to get us ready for what’s coming down the pike,” Gansler said.