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Wait of the World Cup
For United States, it's over until 2002
Posted: Friday September 25, 1998 04:39 PM
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Despite losing a heartbreaking 2-1 match to Iran and being eliminated from the World Cup, Wynalda still has time to smile at practice Brian Bahr/Allsport |
PORNIC, France (CNN/SI)
-- Summer vacation started early for the U.S. soccer team, which moved to a
Brittany beach resort on Monday as the shock of World Cup elimination set
in.
With Sunday's loss to Iran, the
Americans assured themselves of an exit from France '98 after their last
first-round match against Yugoslavia.
Some players went to the beach, others drank wine, and still others just
sat and pondered where everything went wrong for a squad that truly felt it
was ready to make a slash on the world scene. They then jetted
across France on Monday and settled in a seaside village west of Nantes to
prepare for Thursday's World Cup finale against Yugoslavia, little more
than an exhibition for the United
States.
"The joke around camp is we don't have to worry about security --
except from Sam's Army," Brian McBride said, referring to the American
group of fans who followed the team to the World Cup.
In brilliant sunshine, with the Atlantic surf crashing into the beach,
players shuffled across the hotel grounds for a bus ride to one of their
final practices, in nearby Saint-Marie du Mer.
"I think there's going to be a tremendous amount of disappointment
from the fans and, I think, the general public," Lalas said.
Players laughed and joked during the workout, and some sounded like
they were trying to convince themselves the loss wasn't all that bad.
Others admitted it was brutal, probably the lowest moment for American
soccer since 1985, when they failed in World Cup qualifying for the ninth
straight time.
"The tournament's over for us. There's nothing to really discuss,"
said forward Eric Wynalda, told not to speak to reporters Sunday night
after he was benched in the loss.
Coach Steve Sampson started Roy Wegerle and McBride at forward against
Iran, concluding Wynalda played an ineffectual game in the 2-0 opening loss
to Germany.
Wynalda, the Americans' career scoring leader, has just two goals in his
last 17 games with the national team, including one on a penalty kick.
"I would have liked to have him out there because he's a dangerous
player," Joe-Max Moore said. "We needed someone to score goals and he's the
guy who's going to do it."
Sampson refused to give a direct answer when asked whether he benched
Wynalda because he didn't like the effort against Germany and in practice.
He instead talked about other forwards and the problems Wynalda had in
coming back from arthroscopic knee surgery on April 16.
"It's difficult to come back at this level and play and have an
impact," Sampson said. "I had hoped the excitement of the event would allow
Eric to work through this and have an impact in the Germany match, but it
just didn't come."
Sampson was undecided about starting veterans, young players or a mix
against the Yugoslavs, one of Europe's top teams. He already was looking
ahead to the future of U.S. soccer, which seemed on the upswing after the
team advanced to the second round in 1994 and then qualified for its third
straight World Cup.
He maintained this team played a better and more offensive game than
the 1994 group. He quickly was asked if the American public, not known for
a great interest in soccer, will believe that.
"The bottom line is the American public isn't going to buy anything
until we're world champions. You go in knowing that," Sampson said. "Those
of us who know the game will know the subtle changes."
Sampson, who may be let go later this year, and other U.S. soccer
officials have set a goal of winning the tournament by 2010. In the fallout
of Sunday night's loss, it seems unreachable.
After talking for weeks about how they wanted to be treated as equals
by the big European soccer powers, the Americans learned they're still far
away. The question is how the U.S. Soccer Federation can close the gap.
"The blueprint exists on the Internet -- and I've written it," Sampson
said. "The identification of players at an early age who have great
athletic ability. We must do a better job of attracting the best athletes
the United States has to offer into the sport of soccer."
Players, many of whom will never play in another World Cup, didn't
want to think that far ahead. They still hoped to avoid matching the 1990
team, which went 0-3 and finished next to last in the 24-nation field.
"Yeah, you can make that comparison," Jeff Agoos said. "I think this
is a better team than went to Italy."
Notes: The game got a 4.8 rating and a 12 share on ABC, up from a
4.4 rating for the opener. The U.S. Open golf tournament, broadcast
opposite the game, got a 6.7 rating and 17 share. Four years ago, the
Americans' first-round games on ABC got a 5.0 (Switzerland) and a 6.8 (Romania), and
the second-round loss to Brazil got a
9.3. ... Assistant coach Thomas Rongen is leaving the team early to return
to the New England
Revolution, where he is head coach. ... Brad Friedel may start in goal
Thursday in place of Kasey Keller. ... After Thursday, the United States
doesn't have another game until November, when it plays Australia in an
exhibition game at a U.S. site to be determined.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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