U.S. Loses to Argentina in Overtime, 2-1
The United States gave up a goal four minutes into injury time at the end of regulation, then another almost 10 minutes into overtime, and lost to defending champion Argentina, 2-1, Friday in the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Youth Championship in the United Arab Emirates.
The U.S. held the lead on a 59th-minute goal by Bobby Convey off a pass by Freddy Adu and was only 10 seconds away from a place in the semifinals when Argentina’s Javier Mascherano scored on a header to tie the score.
A foul on Franco Cangele by American defender Drew Moor then gave Argentine captain Fernando Cavenaghi the opportunity to win the match on a penalty kick.
“We came out and played one of the best teams in the world down to the wire,” said U.S. Coach Thomas Rongen. “Unfortunately, we got a bit unlucky as they scored with just seconds left.”
Said Argentina Coach Hugo Tocalli, “This was a very intense match. When I go back to Argentina, I will have my heart checked.”
In Monday’s semifinals, Argentina will play Brazil, a 5-1 winner over Japan. In the other semifinal, Colombia, which edged the UAE, 1-0, will play Spain, which got past Canada, 2-1, in overtime.
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Two Fail Drug Test
Joseph “Sepp” Blatter, FIFA’s president, said he was “amazed, disappointed and sad” that a second player in the World Youth Championship had failed a drug test.
Defender Amir Azmy of Egypt tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid nandrolone. Earlier, German goalkeeper Alexander Walke tested positive for tetrahydrocannabinol, a marijuana metabolite.
Both players have been suspended, pending a disciplinary hearing Dec. 22.
Champions League
Real Madrid, a nine-time winner of the European Cup, will play four-time winner Bayern Munich in the highest-profile game in the second round of the European Champions League.
Other games produced by Friday’s draw in Nyon, Switzerland: defending champion AC Milan plays Sparta Prague, Chelsea will play VfB Stuttgart in a matchup of league leaders in England and Germany, and Manchester United will play UEFA Cup holder FC Porto.
Arsenal was drawn against Celta Vigo, Real Sociedad will play Olympique Lyon, Lokomotiv Moscow was drawn against AS Monaco, and Deportivo La Coruna will play Juventus.
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Galaxy Opener
The Galaxy, which started the 2003 Major League Soccer season with eight consecutive road games, will open the 2004 season at home against the New England Revolution Saturday night, April 3, at the Home Depot Center.
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Quick Passes
Merab Zhordania, president of Georgia’s soccer federation, was detained by border guards at Tbilisi airport as he tried to board a flight to Paris. Zhordania, 43, is under government investigation for tax evasion during his time as president of Dinamo Tbilisi from 1993 to ’98.
Pachuca and Atlante played to a 0-0 tie in the first leg of the Mexican playoff semifinals in an ill-tempered game at Mexico City. Referee Jose Abramo Lima red-carded two players and Atlante Coach Miguel Herrera.
Independiente announced that Coach Osvaldo Sosa would not return after this weekend’s Argentine season finale.
Sao Paulo said it would replace Roberto Rojas as coach at the end of this season, even though as interim coach he qualified the Brazilian team for the Copa Libertadores for the first time in a decade.
Enyimba became the first Nigerian team to win the African Champions League when it defeated Ismaili of Egypt, 2-1 on aggregate, despite losing, 1-0, in the second leg of the final in Cairo.
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Times wire services contributed to this report.
