U.S. Team Deals With the Hype
The United States is the only country to have qualified for all nine FIFA Under-17 World Championship tournaments since 1985.
But no previous team at this level has been hyped as much as this year’s edition, which begins play today in the biennial tournament in Finland against South Korea.
With such players as 14-year-old Freddy Adu, Galaxy player Guillermo Gonzalez, MetroStar player Eddie Gaven and Manchester United youth team signee Jonathan Spector, the future has never been so bright for the U.S.
But Adu, who was born in Ghana and became a U.S. citizen less than a year ago, said he knows there is still plenty to prove.
“Even with how good [the U.S.] did in the [2002] World Cup, people still don’t give Americans respect when it comes to soccer,” Adu told U.S. Soccer. “That’s something that is in the back of our head when we play and this is the chance to do it -- to bring respect to American soccer.”
The U.S. continues group play against Sierra Leone on Sunday and wraps up against Spain on Wednesday.
In games Wednesday, Finland beat China, 2-1, and Mexico and Colombia played to a 0-0 tie in Group A. In Group B games, Argentina defeated Australia, 2-0, and Costa Rica and Nigeria played to a 1-1 tie.
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Convey to Tottenham
Major League Soccer and Bobby Convey have agreed to terms with Tottenham Hotspur of England on the midfielder’s transfer, pending approval of his work permit.
Convey, 20, who signed with MLS at 16 and became a starter soon after with D.C. United, has made a team-high 15 appearances with the U.S. this year.
“Moving to Tottenham is the next step in my career, and I’m ready to prove that American soccer players can develop to the point we can compete at the highest levels of our game,” said Convey, who will join U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller at Tottenham.
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Champions League
New-look Chelsea’s first chance to show what millions can buy proved to be a success in an easy 2-0 victory over Slovakia’s Zilina in a first-leg, final-round qualifying game for the Champions League.
The English Premier League team, which has had $120 million worth of new players added to its roster since Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich took over this summer, got a goal by Eidur Gudjohnsen and later an own goal.
In other games involving top teams, Italy’s Lazio defeated visiting Benfica of Portugal, 3-1, on goals by Bernardo Corradi, Stefano Fiore and Sinisa Mihajlovic; Celtic of Scotland routed MTK Budapest of Hungary, 4-0; visiting Newcastle United knocked off Serbia’s Partizan Belgrade, 1-0, on a goal by Peruvian international Norberto Solano; Spain’s Deportivo La Coruna tied host Rosenborg of Norway, 0-0; Scotland’s Rangers tied FC Copenhagen, 1-1; and FC Brugge of Belgium upset visiting Borussia Dortmund of Germany, 2-1.
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Quick Passes
Cruz Azul Coach Enrique Meza has asked club officials to reconsider bringing back Mexican national team forward Juan Francisco Palencia.... Brazilian striker Mario Jardel, released earlier this summer by Sporting Lisbon, signed a two-year contract with Bolton Wanderers of the English Premier League.... French midfielders Patrick Vieira, 27, and Robert Pires, 30, signed contact extensions with Arsenal that will keep them with the English Premier League team through 2007 and 2006, respectively.... Barcelona acquired central defender Mario Alvarez, a Spanish under-21 international, on loan from Vallodolid.
Times wire services contributed to this report.
