SOCCER / U.S. CUP : Playing Not to Lose, England Ties Brazil

After losing to one of the world’s least respected teams, the United States, last week, inspired England rebounded with a 1-1 tie Sunday in soccer’s U.S. Cup against one of the world’s most respected teams, Brazil.

Like the song says, England swings like a pendulum do.

“Who can explain football accurately, anyway?” asked England Coach Graham Taylor, allowing himself to smile for the first time in almost two weeks.

Taylor and his players have been under siege from England’s media and fans since losing, 2-0, to Norway on June 2 in a qualifying game for next year’s World Cup. But the volume was turned up considerably after they followed that with a 2-0 loss to the United States at Foxboro, Mass., on Wednesday night in their first U.S. Cup game.

Warned by a reporter during a news conference last week that he would hear about that loss for the rest of the summer, Taylor said: “I expect to hear about that loss for the rest of my life.”

Considering that his team’s next two U.S. Cup games were against Brazil here Sunday and world champion Germany at Pontiac, Mich., next Saturday, he was well aware that England was in jeopardy of losing four consecutive games for the first time in the storied, 117-year history of its national team.

But, before a capacity crowd of 54,118, the largest to see soccer played at RFK Stadium, the English were determined not to lose. For much of the second half, it appeared as if they might win.

After playing a well-balanced first half, attacking when the opportunity presented itself but taking no unnecessary chances on defense, England was rewarded three minutes after intermission on a header by midfielder David Platt.

One of the heroes of England’s fourth-place finish in the 1990 World Cup, Platt did not play against the United States because of an injury. But he told Taylor during practice Saturday that he was ready, if needed against Brazil.

Taylor decided Platt was needed after England’s frequent advances into Brazil’s territory during the first half resulted in no shots on goal. Platt responded by heading midfielder Andy Sinton’s well-placed free kick into the right corner of the net. Brazil’s goalkeeper, Claudio Taffarel got one hand on the ball before it slipped through.

Playing to protect the lead, England took only two more shots, neither so threatening that they required a save by Taffarel.

“His participation was practically nil,” said Brazil Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who was clearly agitated by England’s retreat.

“It was a game I would describe as one team trying to win and the other team not allowing the other to play. At the end, England didn’t want to know any more about coming forward.

“England adopted an attitude that would not be expected of a great team such as England. We forced the play. We looked for victory. To be correct, Brazil deserved to win the game.”

Taylor did not argue. Neither did he apologize.

“You can’t open yourself up against a Brazil side, or they’ll tear you to shreds,” he said.

Brazil almost did that to England, despite operating against eight and sometimes nine defensive players and the outstanding goalkeeping of Tim Flowers.

He was even in good position on Brazil’s goal, which came 13 minutes from the end after a corner kick into the box. When it appeared as if the ball was headed toward Rai, Flowers and his teammates reacted, sealing off the goal from the midfielder. The ball sailed over Rai and was headed in by Marcio Santos, who had not been picked up by the defense.

With one victory and two draws, Brazil ended the U.S. Cup with four points and could win the tournament, depending on the outcome of the only remaining game, Germany against England.

With only one point entering that game, the English have no chance to win the cup. But they acted Sunday as if they at least won back their self-respect.

“We played an excellent side, and we took them all the way,” Taylor said. “We made them raise the level of their game.”

How long will he be smiling?

“It gave us a lift,” he said. “But we go on (against) the world champions now.”