U.S. Has Some Olympic Hurdles

In the minds of the coaches and players on the would-be U.S. Olympic soccer team, Mexico always has loomed large.

If any team was going to stop the Americans from going to Sydney in September, it was Coach Gustavo Vargas’ Mexican squad.

Suddenly, Guatemala looms as an equally intimidating obstacle.

On on a cold, blustery and overcast Sunday afternoon at HersheyPark, Guatemala became the first team in the six-nation CONCACAF qualifying tournament to advance to Thursday’s semifinals.

The fact that it did so by coming from behind to tie Mexico, 1-1, in front of 8,580 at Hersheypark Stadium will have set alarm bells ringing in the U.S. camp.

Clive Charles, the U.S. coach, now knows that if his team can either tie or defeat Canada on Tuesday and if Mexico can defeat Panama the same night, the U.S. will play either Mexico or Guatemala on Thursday, with a spot in the Sydney Games on the line.

In Sunday’s opening match, Honduras rebounded from its 3-0 loss to the U.S. on Friday and shut out Canada, 2-0. The goals were scored by Hesler Phillips in the 32nd minute, off the rebound of a shot by Ivan Guerrero, and by Luis Ramirez one minute into injury time.

Honduran goalkeeper Noel Valladares preserved the shutout with a couple of lively saves and some help from the woodwork.

Valladares did well to save Jim Brennan’s shot in the 59th minute and a short time later Kevin McKenna saw his shot rebound off the crossbar.

Canada must defeat the U.S. by at least two goals on Tuesday to reach the semifinals.

In the second game of Sunday’s doubleheader, tournament favorite Mexico saw things go its way in the first half.

Guatemala suffered a blow in the 25th minute when team captain Carlos Ruiz, who had scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Panama on Friday, injured his right knee and had to leave the field. He is out for the tournament with a sprained ligament.

Mexico took the lead two minutes before the intermission when Joaquin Beltran headed home a free kick from Hector Altamarino.

Undaunted, Guatemala fought back in the second half, with Carlos Quinonez hitting the crossbar with a fierce shot and Freddy Garcia finally tying the score in the 80th minute on a dipping shot that Mexico’s goalkeeper Adrian Zermeno allowed to slip through his grasp.

“At some point, it was as if we believed that our shirts would win the game,” said Vargas, who realizes that Mexico now must defeat Panama by at least two goals on Tuesday in order to reach the semifinals as the group winner.

Anything less and Mexico might find the home-team U.S. blocking its way to Sydney two days later.

Neither Vargas nor Charles want to think about that possibility.

“We don’t fear anybody,” Charles said, “but we certainly respect Mexico.”