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| Monday, July 2, 2001 11:48 EST |
Mexico puts off U.S. berth in Cup
[Associated Press]
MEXICO CITY -- Mexico needed a win more than the United
States on Sunday and it showed.
Mexican players celebrate Jared Borguetti's goal, which lifted Mexico past the U.S. 1-0 in a World Cup qualifier at Azteca Stadium. |
Safely among the leaders in World Cup qualifying, the Americans
played their worst game of the year and dropped out of first place
with their first defeat in the regional finals.
"We were the most dangerous Mexican player today," defender
Jeff Agoos said after the Americans lost 1-0. "We were our own
worst enemy. ... We beat ourselves."
At 7,350 feet in Azteca Stadium, the Americans hit a lowpoint,
getting outshot 14-4 and committing needless fouls, including one
by Joe-Max Moore that led to Jared Borgetti's goal in the 15th
minute.
"It was just a lack of confidence on the ball," Moore said.
"We just seemed to be giving it up every second or third pass."
Mexico, with a new coach and a new lineup, needed a win to get
back into contention for one of the three berths in the North and
Central American and Caribbean region. Only a stellar performance
by U.S. goalkeeper Kasey Keller, who made three great saves,
prevented a rout.
The United States, 0-21-1 at Mexico, didn't take a serious shot
in the first half. Moore, replacing suspended Claudio Reyna as the
playmaking midfielder, had an awful game and was replaced at the
start of the second half by Cobi Jones, who made a U.S. record
140th international appearance.
While the Americans had a few breakaways late, none led to
serious threats.
"If you can't have the ball, you are forced to play defense,"
U.S. coach Bruce Arena said.
Mexico goalkeeper Oscar Perez needed to make only one save.
"We had trouble communicating," Jones said. "Everyone was
playing on different pages, and we weren't organized as players on
the field."
The United States (4-1-1), seeking its fourth straight World Cup
appearance, dropped into second place behind Costa Rica (4-1-1),
which has the same goal difference but more total goals following a
3-2 win Sunday at Honduras.
Honduras and Jamaica (both 2-2-2) are five points back Mexico
(2-3-1) is six behind. Only the top three qualify.
With a win against Honduras in their next game at Washington's
RFK Stadium on Sept. 1, the Americans would pretty much ensure
themselves a berth in next year's 32-nation field in Japan and
South Korea. But the earliest the United States probably can clinch
is Sept. 5 at Costa Rica.
Mexico came out aggressively, dominating from the outset. The
Americans played back, waiting for Mexico to tire itself out.
After Moore made a needless foul on Alberto Garcia Aspe in the
15th minute, Aspe sent a free kick over the middle.
Borgetti, beating what looked to be an offsides trap, was
unmarked, with no defenders near, and headed the ball past Keller,
ending the U.S. goalkeeper's streak of five straight shutouts in
qualifying.
That was enough for Mexico.
"It was just a hostile environment," U.S. forward Earnie
Stewart said. "On the other hand, you have to get through that way
sooner, and not just 25 minutes before the end when we started to
find each other. That's too late."
In the stands, the rivalry between the neighboring countries was
intense. About 110,000 fans, many with their faces painted red,
white and green, hooted and called out profane chants and slurs at
a small group that had the audacity to unveil a giant American
flag.
A deafening whistle filled the stadium whenever an announcement
came over the public address system in English, and it was all but
impossible to hear "The Star-Spangled Banner" over the hoots.
Mexico, traditionally a regional soccer powerhouse, has
struggled this year and a loss Sunday probably would have forced
Mexico into needing wins in its final four games.
After its previous game, a 3-1 loss to Honduras, the team
replaced coach Enrique Meza with Javier Aguirre, who overhauled his
roster.
Aguirre dropped many of the national team mainstays and brought
back Garcia Aspe, a midfielder who has 21 goals in 87 appearances
with the national team, as well as a slew of players from the Cruz
Azul club, which lost on penalty kicks in the final of the
Libertators Cup to Boca Juniors of Argentina on Thursday. Six Cruz
Azul players were in the game for Mexico.
Missing from Mexico's roster were recent starters such as Jorge
Campos, Luis Hernandez, Pavel Pardo, Victor Ruiz and Manuel
Abundis.
Aguirre said he knew Arena would study tapes from his coaching
at the Pachuca club, so he changed his tactics -- or rather
eliminated them.
"Since we didn't have much time to practice together, I just
told everyone to do what they could," he said.
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