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Waiting to exhale U.S., Costa Rica draw; qualifying down to final game
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- Now, the United States has little margin for error. The Americans need to win at Barbados next month to be assured of advancing to the final round of qualifying for the 2002 World Cup, after a scoreless draw against Costa Rica on Wednesday night. "We thought we dominated the game," U.S. forward Ante Razov said. "It was a hard match; every tackle was life and death. It didn't come out right tonight, now we have to go to Barbados and get three points." Each team could have clinched advancing to the next round with a victory. Instead, with one game left in the semifinal round of qualifying in soccer's North and Central American region, Costa Rica (3-1-1) leads Group E with 10 points, two ahead of the United States (2-1-2) and three ahead of Guatemala (2-2-1). "I don't think we had a lot of great quality chances, but we had more than Costa Rica," said Dave Sarachan, the acting coach as Bruce Arena started serving his three-game suspension. "You aren't really happy when you don't win a game, but I was happy with the effort. We battled to the end and made a game of it." <
Only the top two nations qualify for next year's six-nation regional finals (the "hexagonal"), meaning the United States might need a win in its final game, at Barbados on Nov. 15. Guatemala plays at home against Costa Rica on the same day, and both games will kick off at the same time:
"I was a little disappointed to get a tie," said second-half substitute Josh Wolff, who joined the national team fresh off an impressive performance at the Sydney Olympics. "Then again, we didn't give up any points, and we got a point." While the United States routed Barbados 7-0 on Aug. 16 at Foxboro, Mass., the Americans had a two-man advantage for the final 49 minutes.
The Costa Ricans played conservatively for most of the game content to play long balls from the back to try to beat the American's offside trap. In the second half, they packed defenders around their goal to preserve the tie. "They clearly came in trying to get a point and not really win the game," Sarachan said. "If you look at the numbers they put behind the ball, it was difficult to get a lot of clean chances." "We had trouble solving them in the final third of the field," said Arena. "I'm disappointed [by the tie], but not frustrated. Nothing is decided yet. It's interesting. We like our position, and I am confident we will get a result against Barbados." The United States was missing suspended midfielders Claudio Reyna, Earnie Stewart and Eddie Lewis, as well as midfielders Tab Ramos and John O'Brien, forward Brian McBride and defender Eddie Pope to injury. "Claudio is our playmaker," Armas said. "He is the guy that holds the ball. He is the guy everything goes through." Arena was also suspended for excessive dissent following the United States' controversial penalty-kick loss in Costa Rica. "In the first half, our passing and service could have been better. I was disappointed we didn't get a goal and come away with a win, but there were a lot of positives," Sarachan said. "Now, we have to go to Barbados and come away with a win." The mostly pro-American crowd of 24,430 at Crew Stadium got loud in the closing minutes of the game when it looked as if Ante Razov slipped a pass from Josh Wolff past goalkeeper Alvaro Messen. Fans threw plastic beer bottles and trash on to the field after Razov was called offside. Chris Armas, back from a sprained knee ligament, had a 21-yard shot late in the second half that Messen was just able to deflect. Three U.S. players converged on the rebound but were called offside.
The best change for the Americans in the first half came in the 23rd minute, when Messen saved a Razov short to the upper right corner. It was a physical game that included 35 fouls, and the Americans outshot the Costa Ricans 8-4. "The mood of the team is one of victory," Costa Rica coach Gilson Nunes said through a translator. "We came to win, but we're satisfied with a tie. "It was a very balanced match. There were times when we controlled the game and there were times when the United States controlled the game." Attendance: 24,430 Lineups: United States - 18-Kasey Keller, 16-Carlos Llamosa, 3-Gregg Berhalter, 12-Jeff Agoos (captain), 17-Tony Sanneh (7-Ben Olsen, 79), 14-Chris Armas, 19-Jovan Kirovski (21-Josh Wolff), 13-Cobi Jones (20-Chris Albright, 68), 15-Chad Deering, 11-Ante Razov, 9-Joe-Max Moore Costa Rica - 18-Alvaro Mesen, 4-Alexander Madrigal, 16-Austin Berry, 21-Reynaldo Parks, 2-Jervis Drummond, 7-Rolando Fonseca (8-Mauricio Solis, 71), 11-Jafet Soto (20-William Sunsing, 81), 10-Walter Centeno, 19-Rodrigo Cordero, 9-Paulo Wanchope, 17-Hernan Medford (captain) (Steven Bryce, 88) Referee: Ramesh Ramdham (Trinidad & Tobago)
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