Pressure’s On : U.S. Soccer Team Must Stop Costa Rica to Advance in World Cup Qualifying

The last time the United States played a World Cup soccer game at Stanford Stadium in Palo Alto, it was beaten, 1-0, by Brazil.

A similar result against Costa Rica on Saturday would leave the American team in serious danger of failing to qualify for France ’98.

But Coach Steve Sampson is convinced that the U.S. players have progressed far enough since that July 4, 1994, loss to the eventual world champion Brazilians in the second round of World Cup ’94 to not even consider failure. “I think our players have made tremendous strides since that game,” Sampson said. “After that, a lot of the players went to Europe to play and gained a tremendous amount of experience there. A lot of them have brought that experience back to the United States to play in the new league.

“I think the players are a lot more confident going into any match. They’re not afraid of any rival whatsoever. They’ve learned to respect every opponent but not to fear any. I think they have confidence on the ball. Their confidence going forward has shown tremendous growth.

“You won’t see a team on Saturday that’s going to sit back and defend. You’re going to see a team that’s going to go forward and attack. I think that’s what the American public wants to see. At the same time, we’re not going to take a lot of undue risks defensively.”

Having lost, 2-1, to Costa Rica (3-1-0) in San Jose, Costa Rica, on Dec. 1, the United States (3-1-0) almost has to win Saturday’s game to assure itself of a place in the final round of qualifying. If it loses, it faces the prospect of having to defeat or tie Guatemala (2-1-1) in San Salvador, El Salvador, the following Saturday, and that will not be an easy task.

Two ties also would get the U.S. team through, but Sampson isn’t keen on that idea.

“I’ve always told our players that the risk of playing for a tie is that you risk losing the game,” he said. “Getting the three points will assure us of going on to the next phase. That’s our focus.”

The greatest difficulty Sampson faces before the 2 p.m. kickoff is whom to play up front. Striker Eric Wynalda, the U.S. national team’s all-time leading scorer, is serving a one-game suspension for getting his second yellow card in the tournament against Costa Rica. Wynalda has scored 40% of the American goals this year.

Sampson has several options. He can leave Wynalda’s current partner on the forward line, former UCLA forward Joe-Max Moore of Irvine, in the starting lineup and pair him with either Brian McBride, who has come on as a substitute in recent games, or Preki, who is more at home at midfield.

Then there is the possibility of introducing a new face or two to the World Cup ’98 qualifying lineup--either Jovan Kirovski of San Diego or, more likely, Roy Lassiter of Raleigh, N.C.

Both have been playing in Europe this autumn, Kirovski with defending German champion Borussia Dortmund and Lassiter with Genoa in the Italian second division. They arrived at the U.S. training camp in San Diego on Tuesday.

Sampson will not tip his hand.

“My philosophy, especially in qualifying play, is not to discuss how we’re going to play or who we’re going to play until game time,” he said. But he has offered a few clues.

“Brian McBride has been showing very good form,” Sampson said. “Preki has improved, even over the last week. Joe-Max Moore continues to grow. So I think we have enough solutions to resolve the loss of Eric Wynalda.

“I think you’re going to see a much greater emphasis on getting forward. A much greater emphasis on the attacking side of our game. But not giving up anything defensively because we know we have to play much better than we did against Costa Rica. I think the attitude in camp has been outstanding and the focus has been the best that I’ve seen it in a long time.”

Chances are, Kirovski and Lassiter might both play, at least part of the game, depending on how it develops.

“They came in very fit,” Sampson said. “They were very sharp on the ball. That’s the advantage [European-based players have] over some [Major League Soccer] players who right now may be training once or twice a week and are not playing any games.”

Lassiter’s argument for inclusion in the starting 11 is persuasive. The former North Carolina State striker was the leading scorer in the Costa Rican League while playing for Alujela last year. He then joined the Tampa Bay Mutiny in MLS and finished as the league’s top scorer. He knows the Costa Rican opposition well. Of course, it also knows him.

“You have a decent chemistry that exists now with the national team and you don’t want to upset that,” Sampson said before the Dec. 1 loss. “Players like McBride have really incorporated themselves into the national team and have somewhat paid their dues in the last three or four weeks. If I was to bring in Lassiter, it would mean that I would take away playing time potentially from McBride.”

Wynalda’s yellow card in Costa Rica and subsequent suspension changed the picture. Lassiter was called in immediately.

The question now is: Does MLS’ leading goal scorer get a chance to try his luck at a higher level or are the stakes too high to take that risk?

Soccer Notes

The U.S. team will play Mexico, Peru and Denmark in U.S. Cup ’97 at the Rose Bowl and San Diego next month. On Jan. 17, the United States will play Peru and Denmark will meet Mexico in San Diego Jack Murphy Stadium. On Jan. 19, Peru faces Denmark and the United States will play Mexico in the Rose Bowl. On Jan. 22, at the Rose Bowl, the U.S. will play Denmark and Peru will meet Mexico.

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World Cup ’98 Qualifying

* Who: United States vs. Costa Rica.

* When: Saturday, 2 p.m.

* Where: Stanford Stadium, Palo Alto.

* Records: U.S. 3-1-0, Costa Rica 3-1-0.

* Previous Meeting: Costa Rica 2, United States 1.

* TV: ESPN2

* At Stake: The winner advances to the next round.

World Cup ’98 Qualifying

NORTH AND CENTRAL AMERICAN AND CARIBBEAN (Semifinals)

GROUP ONE

*--*

Country W-L-T Pts. United States 3-1-0 9 (+4 goals) Costa Rica 3-1-0 9 (+4) Guatemala 2-2-1 7 (-3) Trin. & Tobago 0-4-1 1 (-5) GROUP TWO xCanada 4-0-1 13 (+7) xEl Salvador 3-1-1 10 (+8) Cuba 1-3-0 3 (-10) Panama 0-3-2 2 (-5) GROUP THREE xJamaica 4-1-1 13 (+9) xMexico 4-2-0 12 (+8) Honduras 3-2-1 10 (+7) St. Vincent and Grndines 0-6-0 0 (-24)

*--*

x--Qualified for regional finals.