Unlikely Tie Puts U.S. in a Corner

Suddenly, the situation has become complicated for the United States as it tries to qualify for the men’s soccer tournament of the 2004 Olympic Games.

Simply put, the U.S. might be better off losing today if it wants to go to Athens.

Costa Rica’s surprise 1-1 tie with Mexico in front of an estimated 25,000 fans at Estadio Jalisco on Friday night meant that the Ticos won Group B, on goal difference ahead of Mexico.

That means that if the U.S. ties or beats Honduras today and thus wins Group A, it will have to play Mexico in Tuesday night’s semifinals for a place in the Olympics.

Ricky Lewis isn’t sure he likes that idea.

“We’re not afraid of anybody, we’ll play anybody,” Lewis, a Galaxy defender, said Friday afternoon, “but if we had our choice, let’s just say Mexico would be probably more difficult to play.

“We’d be playing against Mexico, the [Mexican] fans, and possibly the refs, who knows?”

Honduras is in the same situation.

If it beats the U.S., it will win Group A and will have to play the host nation. Honduras Coach Edwin Pavon is no more enamored of that idea than Lewis.

“I’m not going to tell you the name [of the team Honduras would rather play],” Pavon told Associated Press, “but imagine a full Estadio Jalisco while facing Mexico, with all the stands dressed in green....”

Of course, considering Costa Rica’s performance Friday, who is to say the Ticos would be any easier an opponent?

They shocked Mexico a mere five minutes into the match when Junior Diaz rose to head a corner kick by Pablo Brenes into the back of the Mexican net to take the lead.

Mexico, the most fluid team in the eight-nation CONCACAF qualifying event, responded well. It tied the score in the 11th minute when Luis Ernesto Perez fired a shot that eluded Costa Rica goalkeeper Adrian De Lemos’ desperate dive to his right.

Despite Mexico’s best efforts, and some occasionally dangerous counterattacks by Costa Rica, that’s where it ended, 1-1, setting up today’s dilemma for Honduras’ Pavon and for U.S. Coach Glenn “Mooch” Myernick.

Myernick will tip his hand when he reveals his starting lineup.

If he rests his top players, the BCD line of DaMarcus Beasley, Bobby Convey and Landon Donovan, it might mean he is playing for a loss. Then again, it might simply mean he is resting the three so that they will be at full strength for the semifinal.

Lewis, meanwhile, will probably keep his place.

The 21-year-old former Clemson standout made a positive impression in his rookie season with the Galaxy last year and was equally impressive in a 2-0 U.S. victory over Canada on Thursday night after missing Tuesday’s 4-3 win over Panama.

“For whatever reason, I didn’t play in the first game, but I got my shot in the second game and I was grateful for that,” Lewis said. “I just want to show well and make sure I don’t get taken out of the lineup now.”

Myernick was pleased with Lewis’ contribution but cautioned that his future as a possible Olympian depends on his play in the upcoming Major League Soccer season.

“He brings a physical element to our back line that we think we need, both in terms of his aggression, his ability to tackle, his ability to head the ball and to track people down,” Myernick said. “He [also] did a good job coming forward.

“Ricky is one of a number of players on our team who’s very capable, but he didn’t get as much time with the Galaxy as we would like.

“He’s a player that I hope, should we be fortunate enough to qualify for the Olympics, gets significantly more playing time [this MLS season] so that we can reap the benefit of that in our team.”

In the other Group B game Friday, Trinidad and Tobago defeated Jamaica, 2-1.