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| Sunday, November 11, 2001 18:09 EST |
Attention now turns to Cup draw
[Associated Press]
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad -- With qualifying over, the U.S.
soccer team turned its attention to the World Cup draw on Dec. 1
and to next year's tournament in Japan and South Korea.
"Now we can get on with the business of preparing for the World
Cup," U.S. coach Bruce Arena said Sunday after the Americans,
their berth already secure, completed qualifying with a scoreless
tie against Trinidad and Tobago.
"Obviously, the conditions were difficult out there with the
heat and the humidity," Arena said. "It was a pretty even game. I
think the result was fair for both teams."
The Americans clinched their fourth straight trip to the World
Cup on Oct. 7 when they beat Jamaica 2-1 at Foxboro, Mass., as
Trinidad upset Honduras and Mexico was held to a tie by Costa Rica.
At this same stadium 12 years ago, the United States qualified
for its first World Cup in 40 years, winning 1-0 on a 30-yard,
30th-minute goal by Paul Caligiuri, who retired from professional
soccer on Oct. 27.
There was nothing at stake Sunday and it showed, with few
scoring chances by either team in a game played in 90-degree heat.
The game drew just 5,000 to Hasley Crawford Stadium and helped
raise money for Marvin Lee, a Trinidad and Tobago player who was
paralyzed from the neck down following an on-field collision
against the United States on March 20 in a qualifier for the FIFA
World Under-20 Championship.
The United States (5-3-2) finished third in the North and
Central American and Caribbean region with 17 points, six points
behind Costa Rica (7-1-2) and trailing Mexico (5-3-2) on goal
difference.
Honduras (4-4-2), eliminated with a 3-0 loss Sunday at Mexico,
was three points back in fourth place, followed by Jamaica (2-6-2)
and Trinidad and Tobago (1-7-2).
Next up for the qualifiers is the draw at Busan, South Korea,
when the teams will be divided into eight groups of four for the
first round of the tournament, which runs from May 31 to June 30 in
Japan and South Korea.
The United States was missing both of its regular goalkeepers
and captain Claudio Reyna. Zach Thornton played in goal and twice
had nice stops on Arnold Dwarika, who was the best player in the
game.
Arena started an offensive-minded lineup with three defenders,
five midfielders and two forwards and was disappointed by the lack
of quality crosses from the flanks.
Thornton dived to save a 25-yard shot by Stern John seven
minutes into the second half and five minutes later made a sliding
block of a shot by Nigel Pierre.
"We can all practice very hard, but the best situation is in a
game," said Thornton, who hopes to make the World Cup roster as a
backup to Brad Friedel and Kasey Keller.
Josh Wolff entered in the 66th minute as a substitute for Landon
Donovan, Wolff's first game since breaking his left foot May 30.
Wolff had a scoring chance in the 88th minute off a pass from Cobi
Jones, but his shot was way wide.
"It was great to have him back on the field, but he has some
ways to go," Arena said.
Donovan started up front for the United States along with
Joe-Max Moore, but neither created decent scoring chances as the U.S.
moved conservatively despite starting six offensive-oriented
players.
Trinidad and Tobago, led by Dwarika and John, had the better of
the play, especially during a wide-open stretch midway through the
second half.
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