SOCCER : U.S. Improves With New Look Against Russia
Sometimes the best lessons are learned from miscalculation and embarrassment. Much was learned from the U.S. national soccer team’s loss last week to Russia.
During that game, the U.S. team was equally inept on offense and defense. It had only one shot on goal and the defense was constantly on its heels, chasing opponents who slipped through huge gaps.
That 1-0 loss was the team’s first of the year, but the hard lesson was put to use Sunday against the same Russian team. The teams played to a 0-0 draw, but the United States was organized and effective on defense, even as its players continue to struggle at finishing plays.
Former UCLA goalkeeper Brad Friedel got the first shutout of the year and has given up only one goal in three starts. The United States, which, as the host team has automatically qualified for the 1994 World Cup, is 1-1-3 this year.
Playing before 25,879 at Stanford Stadium, the U.S. team reversed its performance of the week before, getting 11 shots on goal--including two excellent chances by Jean Harbor. The defense, too, was vastly improved because of a changed alignment that added one additional back line player.
“We were a lot more organized today,” Friedel said. “Last week, we were all bunched up. People were getting behind our players. With four (players) back, we could react better.”
Defender John Doyle started his first full international match since last October, having recovered from back surgery. Doyle’s return, plus the aggressive play of Mike Lapper, one of the squad’s best tacklers, gives the U.S. team tremendous depth on defense.
Also returning was Harbor, the striker who skipped the last two matches because of personal problems. Harbor’s best chance came in the 77th minute. He broke in on the left side, hurdled one defender, went around another and left-footed an angled shot in the box. The ball hit the inside of the far post and bounced out.
Harbor appeared to score in the 85th minute. The ball was lobbed slightly outside the Russian area and Harbor and defender Andrei Chernishov both went to control it. Harbor had possession after Chernishov fell. Goalkeeper Stanislav Cherchesov came out to challenge and he, too fell.
Harbor stopped, still on the left side of the open goal, controlled the ball and kicked it into the net. The official, however, had already whistled a foul against Harbor and the goal didn’t count.
Soccer Notes
Alan Rothenberg, head of World Cup ‘94, said Sunday that the first phase of the World Cup ticket sale--the “private sale” to soccer insiders--was going better than expected and that in some venues officials had to pull tickets allotted for the public sale and add them to the private pool to accommodate the requests. Rothenberg said that 30% of the total tickets available at each of the nine World Cup venues have been set aside for the private sale. At two smaller venues, Foxboro Stadium and RFK Stadium, and the larger Giants Stadium, tickets for the private sale have been oversubscribed. He said that the Rose Bowl was not a problem, although demand is high. He said that, in order, the largest number of ticket requests have come from Giants Stadium, the Rose Bowl, Soldier Field and Stanford Stadium.
