U.S. Hopes Mexico Feels Pressure at Home

The U.S. soccer team has everything going against it in today’s Confederations Cup semifinal against Mexico.

The Americans have less rest, less high-altitude training, a record of 0-15-1 at Azteca Stadium and will have an expected crowd of 110,000 rooting against them.

But adversity hasn’t stopped this American team yet in the tournament as it has fought to earn the respect of the international soccer community with a close 1-0 loss to Brazil and a surprisingly easy 2-0 victory over Germany.

“The home team has all the advantages--playing at home, rest, altitude and, let’s face it, the pressure’s on Mexico to win this game,” U.S. Coach Bruce Arena said.

That pressure could be Mexico’s weak spot. The Americans are the obvious underdogs, and that makes it Mexico’s game to lose.

“It’s nice to play without the pressure,” defender Jeff Agoos said. “It frees up some aspects of the game.”

Mexico had hoped that Germany would qualify for the semifinals instead of the United States because it wants to avenge a World Cup loss--and because losing to the Americans at home would be a blow to national pride.

“The United States is a difficult rival,” Mexican forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco said. “Its soccer is growing. It has very good individual players, and if they get a goal in, they move back and it’s very hard to score on them.”

Azteca Stadium is a daunting location for the showdown.

The United States has lost every game it has played at Azteca except one--the last one, in November 1997, was a 0-0 tie. Mexico has outscored the Americans at home, 65-12.

“It’s going to be a battle,” U.S. forward Brian McBride said. “It’s an amazing feeling, just the sound of it. It sounds like a hoard of bees with all the horns.”

The United States rested some of its best players Friday night and still managed to shut out Germany, even though it only needed a tie. It goes into today’s game with players such as Cobi Jones, John Harkes, Kasey Keller and McBride rested.

In the other semifinal, Brazil is heavily favored to defeat Saudi Arabia, but the Brazilians said they aren’t getting too confident.

“There’s only one easy game in soccer--the game in which the other team doesn’t show up and forfeits,” Coach Wanderley Luxemburgo said. “Anything can happen in 90 minutes.”

But his team, one of the best in the world, is in a much better position. Many of his usual starters sat out Brazil’s 2-0 victory over New Zealand Friday night and will be rested.

Brazil hasn’t allowed a goal in the tournament and forward Ronaldinho said, “We’re very confident that we can reach the finals [on Wednesday].”