06/16/2002

They got in through the back door.

But at least the United States soccer team isn't on the outside, looking in, like defending champion France, two-time World Cup champion Argentina, and such squads as Portugal, Uruguay, and Russia, as second-round play gets underway in the World Cup.

Think about that.

Normally, I don't give soccer a second thought.

It's not that there's anything wrong with the game, it's just that I like most other sports better. As do most Americans.

The difference in interest level in this country between watching the Super Bowl and watching the World Cup is almost as huge as, for most of the 72 years since the first World Cup was played in 1930, the difference in talent between the U.S. team and the traditional soccer powers.

Oh, there was the shocking upset of England in 1950. But that was a once-in-a-century occurrence and, rather than becoming a part of America's memorable sporting history, it's an event unknown to the vast majority of American sports fans.

The World Cup can't compare to the World Series in this country. Nor with the NBA playoffs. Nor even with the Stanley Cup, for matter.

The World Cup is, however, an event on an Olympian scale, a quadrennial tournament with global participation and interest.

Actually, interest is an understatement.

In much of the world, fanaticism would more accurately describe the sometimes xenophobic feelings people have for their teams. Winning is a national triumph; losing is a national disaster.

For better or worse, depending on your point of view, the fortunes of the U.S. soccer team have no such effect on the American psyche, sporting or otherwise.

If America wins, hey, that's great. If the U.S. loses, well, too bad, but it's not as if we really care.

Still, credit should be given where credit is due, and the U.S. team should be applauded heartily for advancing to the second round for only the second time.

Even if they got in through the back door.

Not to quibble, but, since jumping out to a 3-0, first-half lead over favored Portugal in their opening game, the U.S. side has been outscored, 6-2.

They held off Portugal 3-2, and -- thanks to outstanding goalkeeping by Brad Friedel -- managed a 1-1 tie with Korea in their second game.

That, as sports writers like to say, meant the U.S. controlled its own destiny.

Win against Poland, which had lost its first two games to Korea and Portugal by a combined score of 6-0, and the Americans were into the second round.

Instead, the U.S. fell behind, 2-0, in the first five minutes against the Poles and were soundly beaten, 3-1.

Fortunately, that didn't matter, as Korea finished first in Group D by defeating Portugal, sending the underachieving Portuguese home and enabling the overachieving Americans to advance.

"We're through to the second round," star midfielder Claudio Reyna said, "because of their result, not because of what we did. We owe them a big thanks."

Although it would have been more impressive -- not to mention more confidence-building, heading into tomorrow's match with Mexico -- had the U.S. advanced by polishing off the Poles, the Americans still are owed hearty, and sincere, congratulations.

You think the Patriots winning the Super Bowl was an upset?

That was less shocking than if, prior to the World Cup, someone suggested that the United States would advance to the second round while France, Argentina, Portugal, and Russia all would fall by the wayside.

The French not only failed to manage even a draw in three games, they didn't even score a goal.

In Argentina, where soccer is the national pastime, the national team's early ouster is a catastrophe surpassing the country's economic crisis.

Portugal was highly-regarded coming in, and Russia's assistant coach, Mikhail Gershkovich, was quoted as saying: "If we fail to qualify for the next round, we really have no excuse."

The Americans, who were 1-7-1 in the previous three World Cups -- including losses to Germany, Iran and Yugoslavia in '98, when the U.S. finished 32nd of 32 teams entered -- need not excuse themselves for getting into the round of 16 through the back door.

At least they're not on the outside, looking in, like France, Argentina, Portugal, Russia, and 12 other nations where soccer is held in higher regard than it is in the U.S.