Argentina Is Tough Test For U.S.
Hoping to show that its conquest of the United States Cup last month was not simply a fluke, the United States national team will try to secure a spot in the quarterfinals of the America Cup Friday night when it takes on the tournament favorite, Argentina, in the final match of the first round.
The United States team, which began the tournament strongly with a 2-1 victory over Chile last Saturday, lost to Bolivia, 1-0, on Tuesday after making silly mistakes and failing to recover from a weak start.
The United States must either tie or beat Argentina to be guaranteed a place in the quarterfinals, but the team could still qualify if it loses to Argentina by one goal while scoring at least one goal. That scenario unfolded tonight after Ecuador beat Peru, 2-1, and clinched quarterfinal spots for Mexico and Colombia.
The United States team is coming off its biggest high since advancing to the second round of last summer's World Cup, having beaten Nigeria and Mexico and drawn with Colombia in the United States Cup. But it faces an uphill battle against powerful Argentina, which won in its first-round matches against Chile, 4-0, and Bolivia, 2-1, and is already a quarterfinalist.
"We have to play very assertively, very aggressively and be able to respond very quickly to whatever they throw at us," said the United States coach, Steve Sampson. "We have to make sure that we are playing as a unit and providing a lot of support for one another because technically the Argentines are truly outstanding. What makes them so good is that they have individuals who can take on one, two or three players and be very dangerous."
On his way to discuss strategy with his team at dinner tonight, Sampson said that he had designed a game plan that would insure that the United States at least played Argentina to a draw and that he was certain his team could execute that plan. He declined, however, to discuss specifics.
Exactly how the United States fares in the America Cup is expected to determine whether Sampson eventually becomes the permanent national team coach. Sampson, the former coach at Santa Clara University, has breathed new life into the team. Since taking over as the interim coach after the dismissal of Bora Milutinovic last April, he has encouraged the team to play an entertaining, attacking style. Sampson has also been the beneficiary of the return from overseas of the best United States players.
"I wouldn't change a thing," he said. "Players have responded very well."
"If in fact the federation doesn't want me as their coach, I'll respect that and support the individual that they hire," Sampson said, referring to the United States Soccer Federation, which has been trying to hire a coach with more international experience.
"I've had a lot of fun doing this and I'll continue having fun doing this. If they don't think the results have been good enough, I'll respect that and go on."
Both Sampson and his team admit that they will have failed if they do not advance to the quarterfinals. "This is a very important tournament because of the caliber of teams that are here and we will be very disappointed if we don't move ahead in the competition," said defender Alexi Lalas.
United States striker Eric Wynalda, who scored two goals against Chile, said that the team's confidence had been building in the past year and that it simply needed to cut down on its mistakes.
Argentina has won the America Cup (the South American championship, with the addition of the United States and Mexico) 14 times, and Coach Daniel Passarella has assembled a team composed of the country's top players from Europe and talented young players from the Argentine league.
But the United States team has gained respect in South America for winning the United States Cup, for its early victory against Chile and for its attacking style of play. Outside the Americans' hotel in this small town on the border with Argentina, young fans line up every day to stare in the window as the Americans have coffee in the waiting room and discuss strategy.
"Please, please, I want your autograph, I want your autograph," yelled a young woman peering in through the window with her paper and pad.
"We've never had anybody of this caliber here in Paysandu before and we want to see them win," she said.  SOCCER