Little Resolved in Tie With El Salvador
Very little was resolved by the U.S. national soccer team’s 1-1 tie with El Salvador in a World Cup qualifier Sunday.
The U.S. squad didn’t distance itself from the weaker countries in its six-team, round-robin qualifying group that will send three sides to next summer’s championship tournament in France.
Questions linger about who should join Eric Wynalda on the U.S. forward line; about who will fill the playmaking role; and about who is the starting goalkeeper.
The most critical issue -- qualifying for the World Cup -- is far from being settled, but Sunday’s result kept the U.S. team on course to earn a berth. At the halfway point of the final qualifying round, the Americans are in third place with a 1-1-3 record and six standings points. Mexico is first with 11 points, followed by Costa Rica (seven) and the United States. El Salvador, Canada and Jamaica all have five.
“Some of the best teams in the world reach their peak at the time of the World Cup,” goalkeeper Brad Friedel said. “I saw Germany a few weeks ago and they didn’t look all that good, but I guarantee you they’ll be ready for the World Cup.
“We just have to concentrate on qualifying for France. It doesn’t matter how we do it. We can play good soccer, we can play bad soccer -- as long as we qualify.”
At the moment the U.S. team is playing a combination of good and bad soccer, but most important, it has been getting good results. Since the qualifying process began last fall, the United States is 5-2-4, with both losses coming in Costa Rica.
Three of its final five games will be played in the United States, including the next two -- vs. Costa Rica on Sept. 7 in Portland, Ore., and vs. Jamaica on Oct. 3 at RFK Stadium. Two victories would bring a World Cup berth within reach.
“Coming away with (a tie on Sunday) was critical to maintain our level of confidence,” Coach Steve Sampson said. “We need to reinforce the positive ... and this team will only get stronger.”
Sampson’s squad got stronger as Sunday’s game went on. A miserable first half -- albeit scoreless -- was followed by an excellent second half, and forward Roy Lassiter nearly gave the Americans a last-minute victory.
The speedy Lassiter scored in the 52nd minute, and it appears he will join Wynalda -- who missed Sunday’s game with a groin injury -- in the starting lineup for the next game. Sunday’s starters at forward, David Wagner and Jovan Kirovski, did not cause any problems for El Salvador’s mediocre defense.
Asked whether the ineffective Wagner, who was replaced by Lassiter at halftime, had played his final game in a U.S. uniform, Sampson replied: “Good question. We’ll wait and see how he does with his new (German) club team. We’ll be watching closely.”
The goalkeeping position also is up in the air. Friedel played very well here, but English League veteran Kasey Keller is generally considered a little better. Sampson used Friedel on Sunday because Keller is coming off elbow surgery and has not played competitively since mid-May.
As for the playmaking role, D.C. United’s John Harkes was instrumental in the U.S. attack in the second half Sunday but he is suspended from the next match for accumulating yellow cards. Claudio Reyna, not in top form at the moment, and Tab Ramos, out since November with a knee injury, are the other options. Ramos likely will be available for the Sept. 7 match.
In addition, injured forward Joe-Max Moore is expected back soon.
“We’re in good position,” said Jeff Agoos, U.S. and D.C. United defender. “We’re playing pretty well and we know what it’s going to take to qualify for France.”
