U.S. Players Pleased With Their Effort
The U.S. soccer team returned today to the city of Michelangelo’s David, which is special to Florentines because their ancestors for centuries perceived themselves as giant-killers in wars among Italy’s city-states.
The United States killed no giant Thursday night at Rome’s Olympic Stadium but did give him a scare in a 1-0 World Cup loss to Italy.
While the Italian press on the morning after reacted as if the Forza Azzurri (Blue Force) had disgraced the country--disappointment was the word used most often in headlines--the U.S. players were not much short of euphoric.
“I think we came out of there as winners,” U.S. Coach Bob Gansler said. “Winners don’t always come out with the ‘W’ in the won-loss column.”
After his team’s 5-1 loss to Czechoslovakia in last Sunday’s opening game in Florence’s Communale Stadium, Gansler’s job security was a subject of speculation in the Italian press.
Although the U.S. Soccer Federation has given him a vote of confidence through the 1994 World Cup in the United States, rumors were rekindled that he would be replaced by West German Coach Franz Beckenbauer.
But Gansler should be left in peace at least until Tuesday night’s game here against Austria because of the success of his defensive strategy against Italy. His players deserve at least as much credit because they carried it out with determination, confidence and composure.
“It was a matter of finding out for ourselves what World Cup intensity is all about,” Gansler said. “The Czechs showed that to us not for 10 or 15 minutes but for 90 minutes. We’re quick learners. We learned from them.”
As for the strategy, it was not much different from one that might be employed by a lightweight in the ring against a heavyweight. He would try to score points on quick, flicking jabs, while backpedaling and dancing to avoid being on the wrong end of a knockout punch.
Several members of the Italian team went to the U.S. dressing room after the game.
“They sat around with us after the game, just to talk and to congratulate us for doing a good job,” said U.S. goalkeeper Tony Meola, whose father played in the Italian League before immigrating to the United States.
“It was unbelievable. They were just world-class on and off the field. They showed us a professionalism that perhaps we can take back with us to the United States. I just can’t get over the fact they were in the locker room with us. That never happens.”
The Italian press Saturday also complimented the U.S. team, calling its defense an “iron chain.”
But by the tone of some of their questions to Gansler, some U.S. reporters thought his strategy was un-American.
One remarked that he would rather see the United States lose, 5-1, while trying to match its opponent attack for attack than lose, 1-0, while retreating.
“You can’t please everybody,” Gansler said. “We looked at ourselves, and we looked at our opponents, and decided to attack them intelligently. We didn’t go out there to be John Wayne. I don’t want to die at the Alamo or anywhere else.”
