U.S. Loses Game, Gains Respect
If, through good play or good fortune, the United States national soccer team manages to get past the first round at this summer’s World Cup, chances are it will run slam bang into three-time world champion Italy in the first game of the knockout phase.
On Wednesday, that eventuality suddenly took on a much less threatening appearance.
Playing up to the level of its more illustrious opponent, the U.S. team came within the width of a goalpost of tying Italy, but eventually succumbed, 1-0, to a second-half goal by Alessandro Del Piero in Catania, Sicily.
Italy Coach Giovanni Trapattoni was not merely being polite when he said, “1-1 would have been a fairer result.” Indeed, the match might well have ended all square had Landon Donovan, still only 19, fired his angled shot in the eighth minute a foot or so to the right when he unexpectedly found himself all alone against Italian goalkeeper Francesco Toldo.
Donovan’s shot beat Toldo but struck the outside of the left post and rebounded away, taking with it the best U.S. scoring chance.
Presented a similar opportunity, Del Piero made no such mistake, powerfully side-footing a cross from Massimo Marazzina into the back of the U.S. net in the 62nd minute to the delight--not to mention relief--of the sellout crowd of 25,493 at Stadio Cibali.
“There were many positive things for us in the game today, but it would be foolish to look at this game as a moral victory,” said U.S. Coach Bruce Arena.
Still, the American performance was not to be scoffed at. In fact, the U.S. had control of the first 45 minutes and the Italian display was so poor that it caused the fans to start whistling their displeasure.
“Some [Italian players] treated this game in too friendly a manner, and that’s not the right way to do it,” said Trapattoni. “They [the Americans] were much faster than us in the first half and they got people forward in numbers.” Arena started eight European-based players and three from Major League Soccer. Goalkeeper Brad Friedel gave a solid display and could not be faulted for Del Piero’s goal.
The back line of Tony Sanneh, Gregg Berhalter, Jeff Agoos and David Regis did well until Italy turned up the pressure in the second half. In midfield, John O’Brien of Playa del Rey was the most impressive performer and defensive midfielder Chris Armas worked tirelessly and to good effect. Up front, the California pairing of Donovan, from Redlands, and Joe-Max Moore, from Irvine, kept the Italian defenders busy, but the absence of a tall striker such as Brian McBride (who chose to get married this week rather than go to Italy) was noticeable.
Still, the U.S. performance against a legitimate power will have given its three World Cup opponents--Portugal, South Korea and Poland--something to ponder.
Two of those teams also played Wednesday.
Portugal held Spain to a 1-1 tie in Barcelona, Spain. Jorge Costa scored for the Portuguese on a header off a Luis Figo free kick before Fernando Morientes tied it.
Poland, meanwhile, romped past Northern Ireland, 4-1, scoring twice in the first 11 minutes en route to the victory in Limassol, Cyprus. Pawel Kryszalowicz got two of the Polish goals.
Defending world champion France overcame some lackadaisical play against Romania in Paris, but won, 2-1, on goals by Patrick Vieira and Emmanuel Petit.
World Cup favorite Argentine had to come from behind on a second-half Julio Cruz goal to tie Wales, 1-1, in Cardiff.
England, which plays Argentina in the World Cup’s “group of death,” also was involved in a 1-1 tie, against the Netherlands in Amsterdam. The Dutch took the lead on a Patrick Kluivert goal, but Darius Vassell, making his England debut, tied it with a superb bicycle kick.
World Cup-bound Mexico lost, 2-1, to Yugoslavia at Bank One Stadium in Phoenix, Ariz., where Jesus Mendoza scored on a 75th-minute header. World Cup co-host South Korea was beaten, 2-1, by Uruguay in Montevideo, putting Coach Guus Hiddink’s job further in jeopardy.
The day’s most telling display came from Germany, which thumped Israel, 7-1, in Kaiserslautern, where Miroslav Klose netted a hat trick in 15 minutes.
