Americans’ Victory a Viennese Waltz
Somewhere in Germany today, Berti Vogts will be glancing at a calendar, quickly checking how many days there are until June 15.
That’s when Germany opens its World Cup ’98 campaign at Parc des Princes stadium in Paris against a suddenly far more dangerous opponent than its coach had expected.
Welcome to the new-look United States national soccer team.
On Wednesday night, in front of a disbelieving crowd of 17,000 at Vienna’s Ernst Happel Stadium, the Americans scored a resounding 3-0 victory that sent shock waves through Europe and beyond.
So comprehensive was the U.S. win--on goals by Frankie Hejduk, Brian McBride and Claudio Reyna--that not only the Germans but the Yugoslavs and Iranians will have taken note.
All three have to play the U.S. in France.
Austria is not exactly a power, but neither is it used to being sliced apart like strudel, especially in its own stadium.
It was the first U.S. victory in Europe in almost seven years, the last coming against Romania in Brasov in August 1991.
The American players were euphoric, and even Coach Steve Sampson was a little nonplused.
“I was surprised that we beat them by three goals,” he said. “I was surprised that we dominated them that much. But we have guys who are very focused right now. They’re trying to make the World Cup squad. Those that have been informed that they’re going [to France] are trying to make the starting squad.
“But this is why this team, at times, is so perplexing--because it can play so very well and at other times play to the level of a poor opponent.”
After unimpressive and losing efforts against the Netherlands and Belgium, Sampson has shaken up the U.S. lineup. Veterans have been dropped altogether or benched, and a new generation is taking charge.
Sampson also has scrapped the old 4-4-2 formation and introduced a new 1-2-6-1 system featuring three defenders, six midfielders and one striker. On Wednesday, it worked to perfection.
The speed of Cobi Jones, Ernie Stewart and, especially, Hejduk shredded the Austrian defense. Reyna, the playmaker, enjoyed his best game yet, scoring one goal and creating the other two.
“I got some more room because the whole team played well,” Reyna said. “With Cobi’s and Frankie’s speed, and Ernie’s as well, it gave me a lot of space because the other team had to respect that. And I was able to kind of sneak in there in the gaps and get the ball and be able to take them on one on one and create some things.”
If Hejduk’s performance earned him a place on the 22-man World Cup roster set to be announced in a week to 10 days, so did the play of midfielder Brian Maisonneuve and McBride. The verdict is still out on midfielder Chad Deering, while forward David Wagner needn’t bother learning French.
After absorbing some early pressure from Austria on a cold night, the U.S. team gradually took control. When McBride came on in the second half in place of Wagner, the U.S. suddenly clicked.
Hejduk opened the scoring in the 54th minute, sliding in to steer a cross from Reyna past goalkeeper Franz Wohlfahrt. It was his second goal in 11 games for the U.S. and especially enjoyable since he had arrived in Vienna only the day before after a 13-hour journey from Denver and had gone sleepless for 27 hours to avoid jet lag.
“All I had to do was tap it in,” Hejduk said. “Claudio made a great run, and I was waiting at the back post. I saw he didn’t have an angle to beat the keeper, so I knew he was going to cut it back. I don’t know if he saw me, but he just slotted it across for someone to hit it and luckily I outran my man at the near post and just had to touch it in.”
Hejduk’s celebratory dance bemused the Austrians as much as his speed.
McBride’s goal in the 89th minute came off a superb back-heel pass from Reyna, who completed the scoring a minute later by curling in a shot at the near post after the demoralized Austrian defense again had crumbled.
Is this a new era?
“I think so,” Sampson said. “Absolutely. Technically, tactically and psychologically, all three.”
As if echoing that, John O’Brien, a 20-year-old from Playa del Rey who plays for Dutch champion Ajax Amsterdam, made his national team debut.
At the final whistle, the Austrian fans gave the U.S. players a standing ovation, reserving their boos and catcalls for their own players.
“That was great. I’ve never experienced anything like that at all,” Hejduk said.
And in case Vogts is wondering, there are 53 days until that June 15 game.
