A 1-1 Tie Equals Hope for U.S.
The United States soccer team’s reputation, in tatters after a meek loss Monday to the Czech Republic, is again intact.
The Americans can still advance to the second round of the World Cup after their 1-1 tie with Italy at sold-out Fritz Walter Stadium here Saturday night.
The game, defined by a flurry of cards that sent off one Italian and two Americans, moved at a hectic pace from start to finish.
Italy’s Daniele De Rossi was red-carded first, giving the Americans about 17 minutes of a man advantage with the match tied, 1-1, in the first half. Then a red card to Pablo Mastroeni in the 45th minute and a second yellow to Eddie Pope in the 47th minute meant that the U.S. had to hold three-time world champion Italy in check despite playing nine against 10 for virtually a full half.
“Our guys played with a lot of heart today, and we certainly redeemed ourselves,” said U.S. Coach Bruce Arena.
Those who doubt that need only recall Brian McBride’s expression when he came off the field one half-hour into the match. His face covered in blood, courtesy of an elbow slammed into his cheekbone by Italian midfielder De Rossi, McBride exhibited nothing but determination. After his wound was cleaned and patched, he went back into the fray for another hour.
U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller was not speaking specifically about McBride when he made his postgame comments, but his remarks fit well.
“This was a total team effort,” Keller said. “Those guys bled today for our country and our team. I can’t say enough. I’m just glad I could help them out every once in a while.”
Keller did just that, making a series of excellent saves after the U.S. had been reduced to nine players by Uruguayan referee Jorge Larrionda, who ejected defensive midfielder Mastroeni in the final minute of the half and defender Pope one minute into the second half.
Although the U.S. questioned the calls, replays appeared to show that both were justified. Still, the second yellow card and subsequent ejection of Pope was problematic for the Americans.
“There’s no way you train a team to play nine against 10 for 40-some-odd minutes in a World Cup,” Arena said. “Our guys did a tremendous job. A lot of teams would lose their composure and use it as an excuse for not winning on the day, or for losing.”
At the final whistle, Landon Donovan lay flat on the field, utterly exhausted. The other eight U.S. players were equally drained.
“We’re where we want to be. We wanted to be alive,” for the third Group E match against Ghana on Thursday, Arena said. “Perhaps four points for the U.S. team will be good enough to get out of the group. Who knows? We’re going to give it our best effort.”
Among the many scenarios Thursday that would advance the Americans to second-round play would be a victory by the U.S. over Ghana coupled with a victory by Italy over the Czech Republic.
Unlike the earlier U.S.-Czech match, after which Arena blasted several players by name, including Keller, Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, the U.S. side drew nothing but praise from their coach Saturday.
Claudio Reyna came in for the lion’s share.
“His positioning defensively and his ability to give us a little possession and distribute the ball under difficult circumstances was outstanding,” Arena said. “He had a great game.”
Donovan, too, regained Arena’s faith.
“I thought Landon emerged today,” he said. “He was the player we think he can be, and he was spent at the end of the game the way he should be. He gave a fantastic effort.
“I can’t give enough praise to every player who wore our shirt today.”
Arena made only two changes from the starting lineup that took the field against the Czechs. Carlos Bocanegra started at left back in place of Eddie Lewis and Clint Dempsey started in Beasley’s right midfield spot.
Twenty-two minutes into the match, Italy took the lead. Mastroeni fouled Italian playmaker Francesco Totti, and forward Alberto Gilardino flung himself headlong at the resulting free kick to power the ball into the back of the net.
A mistake by Italy five minutes later put the U.S. back into the game. Bobby Convey swung a free kick in from the right, Italian defender Cristian Zaccardo tried to clear the ball, but it ricocheted off his shin and into the net.
Two minutes later, De Rossi got his marching order after deliberately throwing an elbow at McBride as both battled in the air for the ball.
Things took a turn for the worse for the U.S. when Mastroeni was sent off for taking out midfielder Andrea Pirlo’s legs with a scything tackle. It became bleaker when Pope was ejected for a foul on Gilardino.
Down to nine players, the prospects looked dim for Arena’s team.
But the Americans regrouped. Arena made some substitutions that worked -- replacing Convey with defender Jimmy Conrad, and later, dropping Dempsey for Beasley -- and the U.S. set out to preserve the invaluable tie.
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How to advance
What has to happen in matches Thursday for the United States to qualify for the second round as one of the two top finishers in Group E (final games within a group are played concurrently):
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The United States must defeat Ghana, along with one of the following scenarios:
* Italy defeats the Czech Republic.
* Italy ties the Czech Republic, 0-0 or 1-1, and the United States beats Ghana by at least four goals.
* Italy ties the Czech Republic, 2-2 or with a higher score, and the United States beats Ghana by five or more goals.
* Italy ties the Czech Republic, 2-2 or with a higher score, and the United States beats Ghana by four goals and the U.S. team scores at least three goals more than the Czechs do in their tie.
* The Czech Republic beats Italy and the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is six or more.
* The Czech Republic beats Italy and the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is five and the U.S. team scores at least three goals more than the Italians do in their loss.
* The Czech Republic beats Italy and the total combined margin of victory for the Americans and Czechs is five and the U.S. team scores exactly two more goals than the Italians do in their loss and the Americans win a drawing of lots by FIFA.
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Associated Press
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At a glance
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RESULTS
* Portugal 2, Iran 0
* Ghana 2, Czech Republic 0
* Italy 1, United States 1
STARS
* Asamoah Gyan and Sulley Muntari, Ghana. Gyan scored in the second minute, and Muntari put the game away in the 82nd to lead the Black Stars to a 2-0 upset of the Czech Republic.
* Kasey Keller, United States, made several saves in the last 30 minutes of the Americans’ 1-1 tie with Italy with only eight field players in front of him after two U.S. players received red cards.
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TODAY’S MATCHES
* Croatia vs. Japan
6 a.m. PDT, Channel 7 and 34
* Australia vs. Brazil
9 a.m. PDT, Channel 7 and 34
* France vs. South Korea
Noon PDT, Channel 7 and 34
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Source: Associated Press
