American beauty: U.S. stuns Mexico, 2-0
06/17/2002
Associated Press
The players in red, white and blue ran around the field in disbelief,
celebrating a stunning World Cup victory that helped bury a brutal past.
They realized a new world order had emerged at this year's tournament, one
where U.S. soccer is a force, not a farce.
&q The Americans continued their improbable run on the sport's greatest
stage with a 2-0 victory over Mexico on Monday. That earned them a spot
against Germany in the quarterfinals, the best U.S. performance since
the first World Cup in 1930.
"When I got to the locker room, I said, 'This is really weird,"' said
Landon Donovan, who scored a second-half goal that sealed the victory.
"It's like it's not happening. It's like a dream."
The Americans took their place alongside traditional greats Brazil,
England and Germany, and perhaps erased bad memories of the 1998 World
Cup in France, when the United States finished last in the 32-nation
field.
"There is no longer an established world in soccer," coach Bruce Arena
said. "It is truly a global game now. At the end of the day, the Brazils
and Germanys and Englands and Italys will be there, but the gap is
closing."
Keeping awake the soccer faithful back home for the 1:30 a.m. CDT start,
the Americans didn't disappoint, pulling off another of the upsets that
have defined this World Cup. The final eight will also include newcomer
Senegal, either Japan or Turkey, and possibly South Korea, while
defending champion France, Argentina and Portugal already have made the
long flights home.
Led by Brian McBride and the 20-year-old Donovan, who both scored off
counterattacks, the United States surprised a Mexican team that used to
dominate their region. It was the first World Cup meeting between the
nations, and some fans back home in Mexico were crying following a loss
that had been unthinkable a few hours earlier.
"It hurts us here," Jose Luis Luviano, a fan in Mexico City, said as he
punched his chest. Tears melted the Mexican flags painted on his cheeks.
"There has to be an end to this disgrace where (Americans) treat us like
rats and idiots."
At the game, several thousand U.S. fans, decked out in red, white and
blue, began taunting the Mexicans with chants of "Adios, amigos." "We
certainly earned bragging points for a few years to come," said Kaela
Porter, a fan from Boston at Jeonju Stadium.
President Bush called the U.S. team 41/2 hours before the game to tell
Arena he was confident the Americans would win. "The country is really
proud of the team," Bush said as players listened on a speaker phone. "A
lot of people that don't know anything about soccer, like me, are all
excited and pulling for you."
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AP
Brian McBride (left) celebrates his goal against Mexico with teammate Claudio Reyna.
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The American players, unaccustomed to attention in their own country,
were surprised when they found out the president was on the phone.
"We were thinking -- which president?" Donovan said. "That was awesome.
You could tell he genuinely cared. ... It wasn't like we went to him and
asked. He wanted to call."
The United States plays Friday against Germany, a three-time World Cup
champion that pushed the Americans around during a 2-0 victory at the
1998 World Cup.
"On paper, it looks to be no match. However, we don't play this game on
paper," Arena said. German coach Rudi Voeller said his team will be
under more pressure as the favorites. "The Americans have shown great
morale here. No one believed that they would make the quarters," he said.
The U.S. victory against Mexico was right up there with its 1-0 upset of
England in the 1950 World Cup. After that tournament, the Americans
didn't return to soccer's showcase until 1990.
It was a shattering loss for Mexico, which spent decades beating the
U.S. team. The United States was 0-21-3 against the Mexicans from
1937-80, but since 1991 the Americans have gone 9-6-5.
"We played very good football, but in football, you win by scoring goals
and we didn't score any," Mexican forward Jared Borgetti said.
While the Mexicans held the ball for almost 70 percent of the game, they
couldn't get it past Brad Friedel, who had another brilliant performance
for his first World Cup shutout. He got some help on a non-call.
Portuguese referee Vitor Melo Pereira failed to whistle U.S. midfielder
John O'Brien for punching the ball out of danger on a corner kick in the
57th minute. The Mexicans were incensed they weren't awarded a penalty
kick.
"They showed the replay on the big screen and we saw it, 40,000 fans saw
it," Mexico coach Javier Aguirre said. O'Brien called it a "freak play,"
saying his arm was pushed up and accidentally hit the ball.
McBride put the Americans ahead when he beat goalkeeper Oscar Perez from
12 yards in the eighth minute after a 40-yard run by U.S. captain
Claudio Reyna. Reyna crossed to Josh Wolff, who was near the goal line.
Wolff flicked the ball back to an open McBride, who hit the left side of
the net with a hard, right-footed shot. Wolff didn't even look before
passing.
"I made it hoping he would be there, that he would be in that space,"
Wolff said. McBride said: "I knew if there was an opportunity for me to
get the ball, it was on a layback like that."
With the Mexicans pressing, Donovan scored in the 65th minute on a
header from just inside the 6-yard box off a cross from Eddie Lewis, who
had sped upfield. Donovan then whipped off his shirt to celebrate.
"It was all Eddie," Donovan said. "It's hard to miss balls like that."
The game turned dirty, with each team getting five yellow cards and
Mexican captain Rafael Marquez getting ejected in the 88th minute after
head-butting Cobi Jones. The Mexicans walked straight off, not even
staying for the traditional exchange of shirts. The U.S. players had the
field to themselves to celebrate -- and contemplate how far they've come.
"Someone said to me this is the World Cup for the minnows," U.S. Soccer
Federation president Bob Contiguglia said, beaming with pride. "The
minnows are becoming bigger fish."
