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'Thinking about winning' U.S. Cup offers chance to prep for World Cup qualifying
Posted: Thursday June 01, 2000 03:39 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- With World Cup qualifying about to start in earnest for many of the bigger teams, getting into a winning frame of mind is becoming more important. Well, more important for some. Two of the four sides in the U.S. Cup that starts this weekend appear to have winning as an urgent priority. Considering the disastrous showing by the Americans at the 1998 World Cup, where they finished dead last among 32 teams, maybe getting into the field for the 2002 event isn't such a great idea. But no matter how well coach Bruce Arena's squad does in the U.S. Cup or any other tournament, it will be measured by its performance on soccer's biggest stage. So the games with South Africa, Ireland and Mexico will provide Arena with a measuring device. And it will provide his players with significant experience against quality competition, as well as playing time together. "Certainly my expectations are that we win the Nike U.S. Cup," said Arena, who took over as national coach in October 1998 and has revitalized the American men's program. "All of the players know how important these three games are, especially with no games between Mexico [June 11] and the opening game of qualifying against either Guatemala or Antigua [July 16]. We need to make the most of this opportunity. It's my last look at these players. "We think success in the U.S. Cup will carry over to qualifying in the World Cup. Our goal this week in training has been quality, and that is what I expect in this tournament." Arena called in 22 players, half of them based overseas, half playing in MLS, but has yet to decide on a set lineup for qualifying. He will use the game with South Africa to look at a specific number of players, then give most of the others a chance to play vs. Ireland on June 6 in Foxboro, Mass. Against arch-rival Mexico in Giants Stadium, the starting lineup is likely to be very close to who will open qualifying. "It's likely the team I Saturday's game will be broken up for Tuesday, and then will be a mix against Mexico. Whatever lineup will get us three wins," Arena said. "The focus is to get them playing together with the team and to get familiar with each other and with our opponents, as well." South Africa, making its first appearance in the United States since returning to significant international soccer competition in 1992, is ranked 20th in the world. It has never played the United States. One of the South African stars, however, is striker Shaun Bartlett, with whom Arena and other MLS players are quite familiar. Bartlett, the most prolific scorer for South Africa, played two seasons in MLS with Colorado and New York-New Jersey and now is with FS Zurich. "He's a big, strong goal-scoring forward," Arena said. "Their outside midfielders are very good, especially Quinton Fortune, who plays at Manchester United. Their strength is in the midfield and their center back, Pierre Issa of Olympique Marseille, is very experienced." But Arena's focus will be on his squad. "If we are opening up qualification in a month from now, we'd better start thinking about winning games," Arena said. "That is our mindset. Like the Americans, South Africa begins its World Cup campaign in July. It beat Malta 1-0 on Sunday in a friendly -- its first victory outside of Africa in 19 attempts and eight years, but the Bafana Bafana needed an injury-time goal to win are looking for more of a morale booster. It will have to do it though without captain Lucas Radebe, who is missing the trip because of injury. For the other two sides, Mexico and Ireland -- which face off on Sunday in Chicago, the tournament isn't -- or doesn't appear -- all that significant to them. Having missed out on the European Championship, which gets underway in Belgium and the Netherlands on June 10, Ireland looks like it's playing just to get in games. Ireland is coming off a 2-1 loss o Scotland in Dublin on Tuesday and manager Mick McCarthy realizes motivation was a problem. "It's never easy to pick up the tempo after a break of a couple of weeks from competitive football, and I like to think we'll prove ourselves a better team in Chicago," McCarthy said. The eight-day U.S. event will give the Irish a chance to get up to speed. "For a number of reasons, it just didn't happen for us against a fire-up Scottish team, but the message should go out that we're going to American to win games," forward Niall Quinn said. Ireland's roster has been reduced to 20 with the injury deletion of midfielder Damien Duff, and Steve Staunton, who has chosen to remain in Ireland with his wife, who gave birth to their second child on Monday. The team that seems to be the least interested is Mexico, which initially asked the tournament be delayed and, when the U.S. Soccer Federation rejected that, got permission to send a "combination" side. Essentially, Mexico reportedly will be sending its Pumas club side, managed by Hugo Sanchez and not Manuel Lapuente, and reinforced with a handful of other notable names like Luis Hernandez, who recently transferred to the Los Angeles Galaxy. Still having not submitted its roster to the USSF by midday Thursday, the Mexican federation has been claiming forces out of its control for its problems. With the Mexican season ending late -- the second leg of the championship final will be played Saturday, the rest of the teams having just ended the league season and America still taking part in the Copa Libertadores, the MFF said it just is in no position to send a full national team. That creates disappointment for more than a few, not the least of which will be the large expatriate Mexican community in the United States and therefore also the U.S. federation. The American players know it's a relatively small confederation, and they will have to play Mexico at some point. "If it's not the same guys, we might miss out on a chance," U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna said. "We play them a number of times. We know what they're about, they know what we're about. We can't be concerned about one game. We'll face them in due time." Notes: U.S. midfielder Cobi Jones of the Los Angeles Galaxy could become the American career leader in international appearances. He has 126, two behind Colorado defender Marcelo Balboa, who wasn't selected for the roster. ... D.C. United defender Jeff Agoos needs one more game to become the fifth American to make 100 international appearances. ... Ireland plays Mexico in Chicago on Sunday in the other U.S. Cup game this weekend.
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