Plenty in Reserve

By GRAHAME L. JONES

June 28, 1999 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

FOXBORO, Mass. —

Spoiled for choice, that’s what Tony DiCicco is.

If the United States coach sends his starters out for a Women’s World Cup match, they roll over the opposition. Just ask Denmark. Just ask Nigeria.

And if he sends his bench players out there instead, they roll over the opposition. It simply takes a little longer.

With his team already all but guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, DiCicco sent his subs out to start Sunday’s game against North Korea at Foxboro Stadium.

For almost an hour, the near-sellout crowd of 50,484 must have wondered if that was a wise decision. The U.S. team appeared disjointed and ill at ease.

And then, just like that, it clicked.

Three goals in 18 minutes--two by Tisha Venturini of Modesto and one by Shannon MacMillan of Escondido--produced a 3-0 victory that left the U.S. unbeaten and untied at the end of first-round play.

Next up is Germany in the quarterfinals on Thursday at Landover, Md., and, if that goes well, Brazil will probably be waiting in Palo Alto on the Fourth of July.

Is the U.S. coach worried? Not a chance.

“I don’t want to play either of them,” DiCicco joked.

“The Germans are an outstanding team,” he said. “Over the years, I’ve looked at their game and picked pieces out of it that I thought we could utilize. So there’s a bit of German soccer in our team. I think there’s a bit of Brazilian soccer in our team. And there’s a lot of American soccer in our team.”

But what there isn’t in the team is Shannon MacMillan. She might have scored the “golden goal” that defeated Norway in the 1996 Olympic semifinal, but she can’t crack the current lineup.

“Well, we have a player whose name is Mia Hamm, another player whose name is Tiffeny Milbrett and another player whose name is Cindy Parlow,” DiCicco said by way of explanation.

“We’d love to play with forwards all over the field, but I probably wouldn’t have a job very long if we did that.”

In shuffling his starting lineup Saturday, DiCicco gave a break to defender Kate Sobrero, midfielders Michelle Akers and Julie Foudy and forward Milbrett.

In their place, he started defenders Tiffany Roberts and Sarah Whalen (moving Brandi Chastain to Akers’ midfield spot), midfielder Venturini and forward MacMillan.

But it was the addition of Foudy and Milbrett after the break that turned a drab first 45 minutes into a sparkling second half.

Foudy’s pass to MacMillan in the 58th minute found the former University of Portland standout unmarked at the edge of the penalty area. MacMillan unleashed a right-foot shot that sneaked inside the left post, beyond the grasp of goalkeeper Kye Yong Sun.

The U.S. almost doubled its lead a minute later.

Again it was Foudy who set up the chance, floating a ball into the penalty area from the right flank. Kristine Lilly collected it and hammered a shot that ricocheted off the left post, rattling the North Koreans almost as much as it did the woodwork.

Then it was the Asian team’s turn. Jin Pyol Hui hit a shot that clanged into the U.S. crossbar before rebounding clear and, moments later, U.S. goalkeeper Briana Scurry had to scramble to recover the ball after losing it under pressure from Jo Song Ok.

Having survived those close calls, the Americans set about putting the game away.

Their second goal arrived in the 68th minute when Milbrett chipped the ball to the far post, MacMillan knocked it back in front of the net and Venturini launched herself forward to head the ball in.

At 2-0, the U.S. was in control, the fans were on their feet and the third goal was only eight minutes away.

This one came off a cross from the left by MacMillan, who again found Venturini in the goal area and the midfielder again powered home a header.

Having scored, Venturini did a double somersault that would have made any gymnast proud. Later, she said it was to honor Joe-Max Moore, the U.S. men’s national team player who plays at Foxboro for the New England Revolution and who does the same maneuver whenever he scores a goal.

These hijinks were in sharp contrast to the early going, when it seemed the American team could get nothing right.

The goals made everyone forget the slow start and the focus after the game was on MacMillan and Venturini.

“Tisha has been such a leader for us,” DiCicco said. “She was one of our stars in the Olympics and she’s had to take a lesser role on the team, but what I saw today can only enhance her chances of coming in and making a difference for us throughout the rest of the Cup.

“I’m very proud of her and very happy for her, too, because she’s such a class person.”

And MacMillan?

“She made a statement today that she wants [to be] in the lineup,” DiCicco said. “Tisha did too. And that’s great because that means that everyone else’s performance has to improve.”

Hopefully, by Thursday.

SUNDAY

United States: 3

North Korea: 0

****

Nigeria: 2

Denmark: 0

****

Italy: 2

Mexico: 0

****

Brazil: 3