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Reversal of fortune U.S. defeats Jamaica 2-1, qualifies for World Cup
Updated: Monday October 08, 2001 10:26 AM
FOXBORO, Mass. (AP) -- The U.S. players huddled in the north end of Foxboro Stadium, waiting. They had just beaten Jamaica 2-1 Sunday on Joe-Max Moore's tiebreaking penalty kick in the 81st minute, but they stayed on the field to await their fate. Three minutes later, Costa Rica finished a scoreless tie against Mexico. A minute after that, Trinidad and Tobago upset Honduras 1-0. The huddle of American players started jumping up and down. Fans still left from the crowd of 40,483 waved the Stars and Stripes and cheered. The trip to the World Cup was on. The United States clinched a berth with one qualifier to spare. "We have so many kids playing soccer," Moore said. "For them not having this team in the World Cup would have been devastating." (U.S. post-game quotes)
In the 80th minute Sunday, the Americans were tied with Jamaica, which could have pushed them to the brink of elimination. Seventeen minutes later, they were in next year's 32-nation field. "It's a funny game," U.S. head coach Bruce Arena said, unable to keep a grin from filling his face. About 90 minutes before the start of the game, news spread of the U.S. military attacks on Afghanistan. Arena didn't hesitate to tell the players, and some of them were misty-eyed during the national anthem. "Once the whistle began, I didn't think about what was happening in the outside world at all," Moore said. Because of military action, ABC dropped its telecast of the game, meaning the fans in the stadium on a cool and blustery afternoon were the only ones to witness the U.S. clinching a World Cup berth on home soil for the first time.
It was unclear how many fans, who were given American flags when they arrived at the stadium, were aware the military mission had begun. A 33-yard-wide American flag was displayed on the field for The Star-Spangled Banner and Sam's Army, the team's fan club, unfurled a 20-yard flag in one end zone next to a huge banner that read: "America/You'll Never Walk Alone/9-11-2001." For a change, the United States got a pro-American crowd, with most of the fans wearing red as opposed to Jamaica's gold and green. After the game, the Americans tried to put the victory in perspective. "If you can't make a commitment to play for 90 minutes in some stupid little soccer game, you don't belong on the field," Arena said. Then he thought about what he had said. "It's not a stupid little soccer game. But really, in the big picture, if I could substitute a victory today for the lives of the 6,000 people we lost a month ago, I would do that." The Americans clearly were proud of their accomplishment, and the events of the last month didn't prevent champagne corks from being popped in the U.S. locker room. Of the 21 nations that have qualified for next year's tournament, the United States is among just six to have made it for the fourth consecutive time, a group that includes Argentina, Cameroon, Italy, South Korea and Spain. The Americans thought they'd need to win their final two games, but the strange scores assured themselves of finishing among the top three nations in the North and Central American and Caribbean region. "It's an unusual series of events," said Arena, who has qualified for his first World Cup with an 8-4-3 record across 15 games in the semifinal and final rounds. "We're real happy, but in all honesty... we deserve to be through [to the 2002 World Cup]. "I'm proud of our team. Now we have seven months to produce a better team than we produced in 2000 and 2001. I'm optimistic that we can put a better team on the field in the World Cup next year." (Full story) Costa Rica (6-1-2), which clinched one of the region's three berths by beating the Americans last month, is first with 20 points, followed by the United States (5-3-1) with 16. Mexico and Honduras have 14 each at 4-3-2 but because they meet Nov. 11, only one could overtake the Americans. "I would have bet my house on the result in Trinidad not being what it was today," Arena said. Coming off its first three-game losing streak in 29 years, the United States played only so-so. Moore scored 3:01 in when he dived to redirect a pass into the net from Claudio Reyna, back from a suspension and groin injury that caused him to miss the three defeats. But James Lawrence tied the score in the 14th minute when U.S. defenders stood in the penalty area and gave him room to trap the ball with his chest, and then shoot past goalkeeper Brad Friedel. Reyna created the play that led to the penalty kick, sending a pass to Landon Donovan, who was streaking into the penalty area. Jamaica's Tyrone Marshall, a Miami Fusion player who entered in the 63rd minute, took down Donovan with a sliding tackle. Referee Rodolfo Sibrian of El Salvador immediately pointed to the penalty spot.
Last month, Earnie Stewart missed a penalty kick, swinging the momentum in a 3-2 loss to Honduras that created all the uncertainty about qualification. Arena, who made the players practice penalty kicks Saturday, let them decide who would take it. The final candidates were Stewart, Jeff Agoos or Moore, whose point-blank shot bounced off goalkeeper Aaron Lawrence's shoulder early in the second half. "How do you feel?" Stewart asked Moore. "Great," Moore replied. He got the ball, walked to the penalty spot and immediately decided low right. That's where he sent it, and Lawrence had no chance. After that, the Americans held on for the final nine minutes of regular time and four minutes of injury time, with Agoos clearing a tough shot by Paul Hall from the goal area two minutes from the end. Yes, they were happy. But their primary emotion was something different. "Relief," Donovan said. "I love Boston and I love Foxboro and their fans," said Moore, who played for the New England Revolution for the first four Major League Soccer seasons from 1996-1999. "I seem to have a rapport with them and know some of them quite well. I'm happy that I could perform in front of them." (Full story) The U.S. remained unbeaten at Foxboro Stadium, where the men's national team will finish with a lifetime record of 7-0-3, with CMGI Field opening next year in Foxboro's place. Notes: Mexico can clinch a berth with a win or a tie against Honduras. ... Jamaica, which made the tournament for the first time in 1998, was eliminated. ... Moore has 24 international goals, second on the U.S. list behind Eric Wynalda (34).
SummaryScoring: USA - Joe-Max Moore (Claudio Reyna) 4th minute.
Lineups: USA: 1-Brad Friedel; 22-Tony Sanneh, 3-Eddie Pope, 12-Jeff Agoos, 6-David Regis 10-Claudio Reyna (Capt.), 14-Chris Armas 5-John O'Brien, 8-Earnie Stewart; 9-Joe-Max Moore (13-Cobi Jones, 86), 20-Landon Donovan.
JAM: 13-Aaron Lawrence; 16-Fabian Davis, 17-Marco McDonald (14-Tyrone
Marshall, 63), 4-Linval Dixon (Capt.), 24-Robert Scarlett; 6-Fitzroy
Simpson, 11-Theodore Whitmore, 8-James Lawrence (12-Jermaine Johnson,
76),
15-Ricardo Gardner, 31-Onandi Lowe (22-Paul Hall, 75), 10-Ricardo Fuller
Misconduct Summary: USA - Chris Armas (caution) 21st minute.
Referee: Rodolfo Sibrian (El Salvador)
Click here for the running commentary.
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