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On to Mazatenango Arena prepares U.S. for first qualifier against Guatemala
Posted: Thursday July 13, 2000 06:30 PM
ATLANTA (CNNSI.com) -- Little time remains for U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena as he prepares his team for the first of six World Cup Group "E" semifinal qualifiers Sunday in Guatemala. The team boards a charter plane bound for Guatemala City on Friday. On Wednesday, most of the U.S. squad took in the exhibition match between Nottingham Forest of England's first division and the Miami Fusion -- a 3-2 home win for the Fusion. That game gave the U.S. players an advance look at two teams they would scrimmage in Ft. Lauderdale. The U.S. defeated the Fusion in an abbreviated closed-door match on Thursday and will face Forest next Wednesday at Lockhart. The week's final stateside training session was set for 10 a.m. Friday morning at the Fusion's training facility. Following lunch, the team will check out of the hotel and prepare to board the charter flight. Upon arrival in Guatemala the players, staff and traveling VIP's will board a bus for the three-hour trip to Mazatenango. Q&A with Bruce Arena
Q: What can young players who've never experienced a World Cup qualifier on the road expect against Guatemala and Costa Rica? Arena: They're going to experience the nervousness that everyone feels before a game of this magnitude. The environment is a little different than, say, a first division game in England. I think it'll be a new experience for not only those players, but myself as well. But I think our players have enough experience to deal with this.
Q: Does picking experienced players who've been through road qualifiers figure into your roster selection?
Arena: It's a factor, but you really try to put your best team together, and I think we've done it. Experience in these situations plays an important role, and we're lucky that we have a number of players who've been through World Cup qualifying before.
Q: What is it about the games on the road that makes qualifying for a World Cup so difficult?
Arena: It's the conditions, the atmosphere, the travel, and the seriousness of the moment. For Central American countries, these games are big, not only for their players but also for the whole country. They have great pressure on them so they rise to the occasion, both on the field and in the stands, and that makes it more difficult for the visitors.
Q: Is the atmosphere different than anything most American sports fans have experienced?
Arena: The excitement in the stands is just like the atmosphere at games in South America and Europe. These people live for these games. It's certainly different than going to an NBA Final, or a Super Bowl, because this is for national pride. It's a cultural experience that's second to none. I'd say if it compares to anything, it relates closely to Davis Cup competition.
Q: Do tactics of gamesmanship like those employed by Guatemala (moving the site of the game) change the way you prepare for these games? Arena: The gamesmanship impacts us a little bit, but until we get stronger as a football federation, these kind of things are going to continue to happen. But we are going to go out and play the game the way we always play. We've taken some steps to make our travel more comfortable, but all in all we're going to go about playing this game like any other game.
Q: What's more important when assembling an 18-player squad for qualifying -- talent or versatility?
Arena: You need both talented and versatile players. Certainly, good balance on the field is important. And having the ability to bring in somebody off the bench to get a goal or help hold off the other team is important. We have those qualities. I think the play in goal is important, as are your defenders, because these games tend to be low scoring. There is a combination of things that come into play, and I don't think we can predict our needs beforehand. I think we are going to see how we get through our first two games before we can draw any real conclusions about what's more important in order to win these games on the road.
Q: How much difference has the development of MLS made to the United States' level of preparation for these World Cup qualifying matches compared to past World Cups?
Arena: I think MLS has helped because I have a bigger base of players to draw from. They have a better level of professional fitness and more experience than we've ever had before. I can imagine that in the 1990 World Cup qualifying it must have been very difficult with the pool of players we had. This time around I have a bigger pool of players to choose from than even Steve Sampson had [before 1998], and I think that's a big benefit. Having 10 of our players in mid-season form right now helps us. MLS has put us in a better position than we've ever been in entering qualifying. U.S. downs Fusion 2-1 in scrimmageThe U.S. national team downed the Fusion 2-1 on Thursday at Fort Lauderdale's Lockhart Stadium in wet and soggy conditions. Miami coach Ray Hudson tested some of his team's younger players, and his squad also included non-roster practice players. L.A. Galaxy forward Cobi Jones opened the scoring for the U.S. in the 19th minute, and the MetroStars' Clint Mathis made it 2-0 in the 43rd minute. Forward Welton scored the lone goal for the Fusion in the 55th minute after eluding goalkeeper Kasey Keller on a one-on-one breakaway. The Fusion's newly acquired 18 year-old rookie Kyle Beckerman played the entire match, nearly scoring from 45 yards out, but his line drive over Keller missed high by inches. "Kyle is a very good player," said Fusion midfielder Martin Machon. "He's young, but he's very talented. Once he starts getting more confidence and playing with his teammates, he will improve even more. He's a great addition to the team." "I'm very, very comfortable with our young guys. They are all extremely competent footballers," said Hudson. "I can depend on them. They have a great attitude." Starters: Fusion: GK - Rimando; D - Heaps, Mastroeni, Craig Zaide (practice player); M - Rooney, Beckerman, Gutierrez, Machon, Bilyk; F - Serna, Welton. U.S.: GK - Friedel; D - Sanneh, Regis, Fraser, Pope; M - Stewart, Armas, Reyna, Lewis; F - Jones, Razov
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