France Finally in Future for U.S.
Alexi Lalas, the red-bearded stranger who rose to fame as well as fortune on the strength of the 1994 World Cup, sat in the champagne-soaked shambles of the U.S. locker room Sunday night and delivered his verdict.
“The incredible burden of carrying the future of American soccer on our backs has finally been lifted,” Lalas said. “We’ve done our part. The future of soccer in America is safe because we’ve qualified for the 1998 World Cup.”
Sunday’s 3-0 victory over Canada, combined with a 3-3 tie between Mexico and Costa Rica and a 2-2 deadlock between El Salvador and Jamaica, was enough to secure the American team’s place in France ’98.
It is only the second time the United States has qualified on the field for the soccer’s quadrennial extravaganza. The first time was in 1989, when a final-game victory over Trinidad and Tobago earned the U.S. a spot in the Italia ’90 tournament.
In 1930, 1934 and 1950, the U.S. was invited to participate and had not had to battle its way through a lengthy qualifying process. In ‘94, it qualified automatically as the host nation.
“It’s unbelievable,” said team captain John Harkes, who becomes one of only a handful of U.S. players with a chance to a play in three World Cup tournaments. “We didn’t play exceptionally well today, but we played well enough to win the game.”
The match, it turned out, was won as early as the fifth minute, when Joe-Max Moore headed the ball forward in midfield to three U.S. players starting a fast break down the left flank.
Roy Wegerle made a surging run before sending a cross into the goal area, where midfielder Claudio Reyna gained control, spun around and fired a low shot past Canadian goalkeeper Paul Dolan from about 10 yards.
Canada tried to fight back, but the early lapse by its defense was impossible to overcome, especially with Lalas man-handling Alex Bunbury, the only truly dangerous Canadian striker, and with U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel confidently handling every shot fired his way.
A 1-0 halftime lead turned into a 2-0 advantage in the 81st minute of an often dour and not especially attractive game. This time, it was Reyna returning the favor to Wegerle.
A well-taken free kick by Reyna after a Canadian foul put Wegerle free one-on-one against Dolan, and Wegerle made no mistake. The goal set off an instant celebration on the U.S. bench, which was receiving minute-by-minute updates from San Salvador, where Jamaica had to tie or defeat El Salvador for the U.S. to clinch its place in France.
“I think for the whole game we were more nervous about what was going on in Jamaica’s game than about ourselves,” striker Eric Wynalda said.
Wegerle also netted the third goal, in the final minute, from an obviously offside position. The Canadians’ protested loud and long to the linesman who failed to make the offside call, but in vain.
Even before the final whistle, the U.S. bench and the more than 1,000 red-clad American fans in the Swangard Stadium sellout crowd of 8,420 began to celebrate. “USA, USA,” chanted the fans. Wynalda, who had come out of the game, produced an American flag and draped it over his shoulders. Preki and Roy Lassiter followed suit.
U.S. Coach Steve Sampson hugged several players, goalkeeper coach Milutin Soskic, who turns 60 next month, leaped into the air, as he did in his playing days for Yugoslavia, which also is headed for France. Assistant coach Clive Charles wore a fixed grin.
In the bedlam of the U.S. locker room a short while later, the players, coaches and officials posed for a champagne-drenched television moment, singing soccer’s traditional “ole, ole, ole, ole” chant at full volume. It will be a U.S. highlight film snippet for years to come.
“It means everything for soccer in this country,” said midfielder Reyna, who, like Paul Caligiuri eight years earlier in Trinidad and Tobago, scored the goal that clinched the U.S. a place in the finals.
“Four years ago, we hosted the World Cup and then all of a sudden were were thrust into the role of favorite to qualify [for ‘98], which had never happened to us before. Before the ’94 World Cup, we were always outsiders.
“Everyone thought that, along with Mexico, we would definitely go. It was tough for us. We fought through two years of difficult games and now we’re going to France. We achieved our goal.”
The United States closes its year-long, 16-match qualifying stint at Foxboro (Mass.) Stadium on Sunday against El Salvador. The game means nothing to the United States and everything to the visitors. El Salvador has to win to reach France, otherwise Jamaica qualifies.
Meanwhile, in Mexico, the criticism of Coach Bora Milutinovic is peaking after yet another poor result for Mexico, which already had qualified. With U.S. Soccer Federation President Alan Rothenberg voicing only lukewarm support for Sampson immediately before Sunday’s game, there were several joking comments made among the U.S. Soccer hierarchy that Bora might return to coach the U.S. in France.
The victory over Canada took care of that notion, to Sampson’s immense relief.
“The first one [Italy in 1990] is always nice,” said defender Marcelo Balboa. “But this one is special. We fought and we scratched and we had our ups and downs, but we pulled through the last two games and we got where we all wanted.”
Meanwhile, the flame-haired Lalas is off to Ecuador in the near future to play for the Emelec club in Guayaquil during Major League Soccer’s off-season.
Why?
“That’s what my whole career has been about,” Lalas said. “Taking chances and then going on adventures.”
Ecuador, however, will be only a preview. For Lalas and the United States, the real adventure comes next summer in France.
Other Games
Costa Rica 3, Mexico 3--Costa Rica rallied from a 3-1 deficit to tie at Mexico City, but was eliminated from qualifying for the World Cup finals when the U.S. beat Canada and El Salvador and Jamaica tied. Mexico had already qualified and played several second-stringers.
Jamaica 2, El Salvador 2--Waldir Guerra of El Salvador scored with three minutes left to salvage a tie with Jamaica at San Salvador, leaving Jamaica on the verge of qualifying and keeping El Salvador’s thin hopes alive.
South Korea 3, United Arab Emirates 1--South Korea, which had already qualified for the World Cup from Group B, won easily at Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
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World Cup ’98 CONCACAF Standings
*--*
Country W L T GF GA Pts *Mexico 4 0 5 23 7 17 *U.S. 3 1 5 13 7 14 Jamaica 3 2 4 7 12 13 El Salvador 2 3 4 9 12 10 Costa Rica 2 4 3 10 11 9 Canada 1 5 3 4 17 6
*--*
* Clinched a berth in World Cup ‘98, to be played in France.
*
Sunday’s Scores
United States 3, Canada 0
Jamacica 2, El Salvador 2
Costa Rica 3, Mexico 3
*
Remaining Games
Nov. 16--U.S.-El Salvador; Jamaica-Mexico; Costa Rica-Canada
