Argentina’s Muted Victory Is Not a Big Crowd Pleaser
When soccer fans think of Argentina’s national team, one name springs to mind: Gabriel Batistuta, the striker who last year overtook Diego Maradona as his country’s all-time leading goal scorer and helped it reach the quarterfinals of the World Cup.
Unfortunately, Batistuta was not at the Coliseum Wednesday night, and without him Argentina was merely a shadow of itself, producing few offensive fireworks in a 1-0 victory over Mexico in front of a chilled and perhaps disillusioned crowd of 91,585.
In fact, had it not been for a horrendous mistake by goalkeeper Jorge Campos, the Argentines might not have scored at all.
The miscue came 22 minutes into the second half when the former Galaxy keeper misjudged a free kick floated into his goal area by Marcelo Gallardo and elected not to go after the ball, hoping it would go out of bounds.
Instead, Argentine forward Guillermo Barros Schellotto got to it first and sent a pass across the face of the unguarded net. Campos scrambled desperately to recover, but Juan Sorin sprinted in and headed the ball into the empty net.
It was all Argentina needed. Mexico, battling against a physically powerful, if unspectacular opponent fought to get back in the game but squandered the few chances it created.
Francisco Palencia blasted a shot over the crossbar in the 73rd minute; Luis Hernandez’s long-range shot was saved by goalkeeper German Burgos, and Juan Manuel Abundis steered his chance wide left.
Mexico’s best opportunity came when Hernandez dribbled past a defender and fired an angled shot that seemed certain to be a goal. Somehow, Burgos managed to get a hand to the ball and slowit enough for defender Claudio Husain to clear off the line.
It was Mexico’s best and last chance.
The loss was a blow to Mexico’s morale as it continues preparation for this summer’s FIFA Confederations Cup, the eight-nation tournament it will host in Mexico City and Guadalajara July 24-Aug. 4.
Argentina, if it is to have any impact in the Copa America, or South American championship, June 29-July 18 in Paraguay, obviously will need to recall its European-based stars, not least of all Batistuta, whose 18 goals in 20 games have propelled Fiorentina to the top of Italy’s Serie A this season.
A closed-circuit telecast of Wednesday’s match was aired at the adjacent Sports Arena before 1,000 fans who were unable to be seated at the sold-out Coliseum.
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In other international games Wednesday, world champion France shut out England, 2-0, in front of 74,111 at Wembley Stadium in London on two goals by Nicolas Anelka; Italy and Norway played to a 0-0 tie in Pisa, Italy; Denmark defeated Croatia, 1-0, on an Ebbe Sand goal in Split, Croatia; Ireland defeated Paraguay, 2-0, in Dublin as Denis Irwin and David Connolly scored; Portugal and the Netherlands tied, 0-0, in Paris; Poland and Finland played to a 1-1 tie in Valleta, Malta. Wojciech Kowalczyk scored in the opening minute for the Poles and Jonatan Johansson later tied it up for the Finns. And Albania beat Macedonia, 2-0, in Tirana, Albania.
In qualifying games for the 2000 European Championship, Cyprus defeated San Marino, 4-0, in Nicosia, Cyprus, and Yugoslavia shut out Malta, 3-0, in Valleta, on two goals by Albert Nadj, who was making his national team debut, and one by Savo Milosevic.
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The U.S. women’s World Cup team will play a tuneup match against Mexico on March 28 as part of a doubleheader at the Rose Bowl. In the other game, the Galaxy will play the Dallas Burn in a Major League Soccer match.
