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Closer Look McBride converts dangerous pass to perfection
Posted: Sunday June 11, 2000 07:18 PM
By Michael Lewis, CNNSI.com
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It is considered perhaps the most dangerous pass in all of soccer.
A player runs down either the right or left wing, takes the ball to the end line and crosses it back to an onrushing teammate.
It's advantages are two-fold. The defense is forced to scramble back and sometimes can wind up out of position. None of the players' teammates can be an offside position because the ball was played from in front of them.
The U.S. national team worked that play to perfection for its first goal of its 3-0 triumph over Mexico in the U.S. Cup on Sunday.
"It worked out nice," said Brian McBride, who scored the goal in the 33rd minute, which was his 11th goal in 43 international appearances.
As it turned out, midfielder Earnie Stewart played two key roles in the goal. He originated the sequence by bringing the ball down the right wing and passing it to an onrushing Cobi Jones and then made the final pass.
"I saw that there was space behind us," Stewart said of his first run. "I knew that if we could pass the ball over there we would have a good chance to be off for the run. It's also reaction. You react to the space you have at the moment."
Jones and Stewart are roommates on the road and they feel they have a good working relationship on the field.
"Earnie and I have played a lot together," Jones said. "We have a bit of connection that works pretty well together.
"I thought it worked well. Earnie played the ball into me. I played the ball through to him. I knew that he was going to sprint inside. He took a couple of touches down to the line and played it across to Brian."
Jones continued surging toward the goal while Stewart broke to the outside, then raced to the end line before crossing the ball back to McBride.
"When you're at the end line, you can never shoot, so the goalie can cheat a little bit," Stewart said. "On the other hand, if the forward makes a good run, you have an option to the pass the ball."
Asked if McBride was his first option, Stewart replied, "It would have been whoever who came to the first post. If it was Cobi it would have been Cobi. If it was Chris Armas, it would have been Chris Armas."
It was McBride, who had beaten his defender and slotted a shot home past goalkeeper Sergio Bernal from seven yards.
"Earnie laid the ball back that was great," McBride said. "I was trucking to get back behind the ball. I've been working on beating the defender to the back post all week. It worked out nice. It was good to get in and take the lead."
Michael Lewis covers soccer for the New York Daily News. His third book, Soccer For Dummies, was published this spring.
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