Milestone victory for U.S.
Arena gets first win in 3-0 thrashing of Germany
Posted: Wednesday February 10, 1999 10:34 AM
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Sweet revenge: Jovan Kirovski (right) opened the scoring in the United States' 3-0 victory against Germany. AP |
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Even with little on the line, few
would expect the United States soccer team to beat perennial world
power Germany.
On Saturday, the unexpected happened.
Jovan Kirovski, Tony Sanneh and Claudio Reyna -- all of whom play
for German clubs -- scored during a 10-minute span in the first half
as the Americans won 3-0.
"This [game] was really important," said Kirovski, whose
16th-minute strike opened the scoring. "It was good for our
confidence and shows how all the hard work paid off for us."
It was the U.S. team's first triumph over Germany four games
between the nations. Eight months earlier, the European champions
pummeled the Americans 2-0 in the World Cup opener for both
nations.
In addition to the World Cup, Germany won a pair of exhibition
games played in the United States in 1993.
"This was a good result for us, although I am not going to make
a big deal out of it," said Bruce Arena, who earned his first win
as U.S. coach. "It is a friendly in February 1999. What I am
looking for is improvement in my team each time it plays."
It was the first U.S. win in seven games since a 2-0 win over
Kuwait last May 24. Steve Sampson quit as coach after the Americans
went 0-3 at the World Cup and finished last in the 32-nation field.
Arena, the former coach of D.C. United, began with scoreless draws
against Australia and Bolivia.
"The guys were working hard for each other out there," Reyna
said. "Everyone wanted the ball, everyone wanted to be involved.
That's what it takes. This was a huge game."
The victory continued a series of upsets against former World
Cup champions by the United States, joining victories over England
(1993), Argentina (1995) and Brazil (1998). But in the World Cup,
soccer's biggest stage, the Americans have struggled, going 1-8-1
in the 1990s.
For the Germans, a three-time World Cup champion, their two-game
trip to Florida was their first action since the Bundesliga started
its mid-winter break in December. The Germans were missing forward
Oliver Bierhoff and two others but otherwise had their first-choice
lineup.
"I think the U.S. was truly a better opponent," German coach
Erich Ribbeck said. "They were more aggressive and more agile than
we were."
The Americans, who mixed young players and veterans, pushed
forward and controlled from start.
Kirovski, who plays for Cologne in Germany's second division,
put the United States ahead when his shot from the top corner of
the penalty area went into the upper corner past goalkeeper Oliver
Kahn.
Sanneh, who joined Bundesliga club Hertha Berlin last month
after three seasons in MLS, made it 2-0 in the 24th minute. Reyna,
who plays for VfL Wolfsburg, scored two minutes later.
"The goals came fast and by the time it was 2-0, I think the
game was over," Ribbeck said.
The Germans, who have struggled since their quarterfinal loss to
Croatia at the World Cup, didn't generate a consistent attack and
created few chances.
"Everything went well for us this week in training," said
German captain Lothar Matthaus, who made his 131st international
appearance. "But today, it was a disaster. Everything went
wrong."
The Americans were so dominant that goalkeeper Tony Meola didn't
touch the ball for the first 10 minutes and didn't handle a shot
off the foot of a German player for nearly the entire first half.
Meola got his 29th shutout in 89 international appearances.
The goals were the first for the United States since a 2-1 loss
to Iran at the World Cup.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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