U.S. Sydney-Bound; Mexico Goes Home

G’day, Australia. G’night, Mexico.

That was the tale of what happened Friday night at Hersheypark Stadium, where the United States and Honduras qualified for the soccer tournament of the 2000 Olympic Games, but highly favored Mexico did not.

The ouster of Mexico, which was eliminated, 1-0, on penalty kicks by Honduras in the first game of a doubleheader, almost was as surprising as the ease with which the U.S. trounced Guatemala in the nightcap. The Americans’ 4-0 victory in front of 12,299 set off wild flag-waving and horn-blowing celebrations.

The opening game held the fans’ attention throughout as the Mexicans attacked the packed Honduran defense relentlessly for two hours but were unable to get the ball past goalkeeper Noel Valledares either in regulation or overtime.

Finally, when it came to penalty kicks, Mexico’s luckless Juan Pablo Rodriguez slammed his effort against the left post. The next nine kickers hit the back of the net, with Honduras clinching its ticket to Sydney when Hector Gutierrez scored.

The Honduran players had watched the parade of penalty kicks on their knees at midfield, praying for a miracle. They got one, and Valledares said his own silent thanks by walking 18 yards on his knees from his goal line to the edge of the penalty area.

“We’re thankful to God that we won,” said Honduras Coach Ramon Henrique Maradiaga, whose team nearly missed the qualifying tournament altogether.

Honduras had said it might not come to Pennsylvania after its players became embroiled in a financial dispute with their impoverished soccer federation over a promised bonus. They arrived only hours before their first game and lost to the U.S., 3-0.

But they bounced back to shut out Canada and Mexico. Now they’re going to Sydney.

“We didn’t accomplish what we came here to do,” said grim-faced Mexico Coach Gustavo Vargas. “Obviously, we’re very disappointed.”

The first game may have taken two hours to decide, but the second was settled in 22 minutes. The U.S. came out firing and scored three goals before Guatemala knew what had hit it.

The first took only 46 seconds.

Coach Clive Charles changed his starting lineup, dropping Conor Casey and John Thorrington and starting Josh Wolff and Landon Donovan in those spots. He also went from using two forwards to three, with Wolff and Donovan partnering Chris Albright up front.

It was Albright who blasted a shot at Guatemalan goalkeeper Luis Pedro Molina in the opening minute. Molina got his fingertips on the ball but succeeded only in pushing it into the path of John O’Brien, and the midfielder from Playa del Rey buried his shot in the net.

“The ball bounced up perfectly for me,” O’Brien said. “It was my first touch in the game and it’s great to have your first touch go in the back of the net.”

Seven minutes later, Wolff doubled the U.S. lead, with Albright again getting the assist. At the 22-minute mark, Donovan, an 18-year-old from Redlands getting his first tournament playing time, made it 3-0 and essentially the game was over.

Donovan magnified the U.S. superiority with his second goal in the 91st minute.

“It was great for us,” Albright said of the fast start. “Any time in a big game like this you get out early, that’s what you’re looking for. Johnny O’Brien put away an unbelievable goal.

“It’s a big relief. There was a lot of pressure on us, being at home. It worked out, we’re real happy.”

O’Brien said Charles’ change of tactics caught the Guatemalans by surprise.

“I think they were confused for about the first 15 minutes,” he said. “It kind of knocked them on their heels and we took advantage of that by putting a couple in the net.”

Having made it to Australia, the next task for the American players is to learn the language. Albright said he can speak it.

“A little bit,” the D.C. United forward said. “Crocodile Dundee, that’s about it.”

O’Brien already has him beat.

“Put another shrimp on the barbie, mate,” he said.

The boys learn fast.