Depleted Brazil Defeats U.S. in Soccer, 2-0 : Cup ‘93: Americans fall to 1-5-9 as scoreless streak is extended to 346 minutes.
While not having had the chance to test the popular “winning ugly” theory, U.S. national soccer Coach Bora Milutinovic has, during his 15 months on the job, been espousing a personal favorite. He calls it “losing well.”
By his analysis, such was the case Sunday as the United States lost, 2-0, to Brazil in the opening game of the U.S. Cup ’93. Despite the loss before 44,579 in the Yale Bowl, Milutinovic managed to squeeze a positive note from an otherwise convincing loss.
“Always, you must know who you are playing,” Milutinovic said. “It is very difficult to be unhappy. Because you have to know that you are playing one of the best teams in the world. I hope that the team learned a lot.”
The lesson might have been that even a depleted Brazilian team that at times did not play at full speed was superior to Americans at their best. The Brazilians controlled the ball completely during the first half, but their deft passing and glue-like possession at midfield was, at times, more about style than substance.
At least one U.S. player, sweeper Desmond Armstrong, believed that the Brazilian players were not going full out.
“I think they kind of held back, to tell you the truth,” he said. “I’m certain they’re capable of doing many more things.”
The United States is 1-5-9 this year and has gone 346 minutes without scoring a goal. In fact, the team hasn’t won a major match at home in more than a year. Their last such victory came June 3, 1992, in the U.S. Cup ‘92, by 1-0 against Portugal.
Brazil struck early and in a fashion that was characteristic of the match. Three Brazilian players rushed behind the five-man U.S. defense. Marcio Santos’ cross from the right side was put in by Careca past keeper Tony Meola after the United States got burned on an offside trap.
Meola was kept busy, facing 12 shots. Brazil had many more scoring chances, but two close shots hit the post. The United States managed four shots. Brazil also had the advantage in corner kicks, 8 to 4.
Brazil also had the advantage of crowd support. The flag-waving, yellow-and-green clad Brazilian fans ignored the gray skies and unseasonable cold and assembled its bare-chested Samba line that snaked through the stadium to an insistent drumbeat.
The second half featured a more organized U.S. midfield and a more effective defense. Armstrong, who was frequently out of position during the first half, was his team’s best defender during the second. Second-half substitutes Cobi Jones and Ernie Stewart were sent on to add speed to the lineup.
They clicked during a few rushes, but failed to finish. John Harkes, who joined the team last week after his season in the English Premier League, was the most impressive U.S. player.
Brazil scored in the 86th minute on a goal from Luiz Carlos Winck.
Milutinovic sparred with the media after the match, chiding American reporters for dwelling on his team’s win-loss record, or, as he correctly noted, “the negative.” Again, he was asked how the team’s mounting losses can be viewed, in any fashion, as “losing well.”
“It is never good to lose,” Milutinovic said. “One day I am going to give you an answer. But after the World Cup.”
Although Brazil was without about dozen of its players, the Americans still had trouble.
“If you can find 11 bad Brazilian soccer players, I’d like to see them,” Meola said.
The United States’ next game in the tournament will be against England Wednesday in Foxboro Stadium at Foxboro, Mass.
