WORLD CUP USA ’94 / THE FIRST ROUND : SPOTLIGHT : START QUICKLY, THEN BREATHE

Was it the heat, the humidity or the air pollution?

Sunday, it was two out of three, with humidity taking the day off from the World Cup. In the Romania-U.S. game, the difficult conditions at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena meant that it was important to start well.

“It’s important to score first, particularly in this heat,” Romanian midfielder Gheorghe Hagi said.

Said U.S. midfielder Mike Sorber: “Though it was very hot, it wasn’t humid. You could feel the air pollution making it hard to breathe, but it wasn’t too bad.”