A day that started in a most unsettling manner ended with all the right results for the U.S. national team.

The news of air strikes in Afghanistan broke about 90 minutes before the scheduled kickoff. The press box, formerly buzzing with soccer conversations, halted in silence. Attention was riveted on the televisions as President Bush addressed the nation.

Questions of whether the game would start on time or be moved off live broadcast ensued. Whether through poor planning or because they were glued to their TVs and radios, several thousand U.S. fans did not make it into the parking lot and through the rigid stadium security in time for kickoff.

A game that might, under different circumstances, carry the metaphoric label “do or die,” now obviously could not. At the urging of its leaders, the entire United States had spent a month trying to return to everyday life after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11. Part of that process was learning how to wholeheartedly enjoy diversions, such as sports. But the grave crises facing the world were brought to the forefront again, and suddenly the game did not seem quite as important.

The U.S. players were already sequestered in their locker room when the news broke, but Coach Bruce Arena did not think for long before deciding to inform his players of the day’s events.

“I think it was fair to tell them,” Arena said after a 2-1 victory over Jamaica Oct. 7 at Foxboro Stadium nailed down the Americans’ berth for the 2002 World Cup. “We thought if our country can make the kind of commitment [it is] making, the game is easy. This is nothing, what we had to deal with today. This is just a game, and if you can’t make a commitment to play for 90 minutes for each other in a stupid little soccer game, then you don’t belong on the field. It’s not a stupid little soccer game, but, really, in the big picture, if I could substitute a victory today for the lives of the 6,000 people we lost a month ago, I would do that. I know it’s important to win and all, but you’ve got to put things in their right places. … [The news] wasn’t used as a motivational thing, the guys were ready to play.”

READY TO PLAY. The U.S. team wasted no time in asserting its superior ball movement. In the first few minutes, Jamaica chased the ball fruitlessly and had trouble keeping possession, as it would throughout the game.

John O’Brien, making just his third appearance in qualifying because of a string of injuries (most recently a damaged medial collateral ligament in his right knee) quickly established with close ball control that his left side would be the favored avenue of U.S. attacks.

Since O’Brien had worked so infrequently with the U.S. squad in the past year, chemistry with his teammates may have been in doubt. Arena warned earlier in the week against anointing a 24-year-old with scant full international experience a savior for the team. Yet he admitted afterward there was no hesitation in starting the Ajax midfielder.

“I told John after the game that I didn’t realize he can play soccer,” Arena said. “I’ve never seen him play. … We said if he was healthy, he was going to play. He just hasn’t been with us.”

O’Brien was one of two major reasons the U.S. kept possession with such confidence. The other was Claudio Reyna, who returned after missing the past three games – all losses.

Reyna needed less than four minutes to showcase his value, placing a free kick from the left flank into Joe-Max Moore’s near-post run. Moore dived to send a knuckling ball to the far side of the goal with his forehead, and the United States took the lead.

The early goal not only fueled the home team’s confidence but also helped lift the pall which had been cast over pregame mood.

The set piece was just one aspect of Reyna’s contribution. Reyna, Chris Armas and Earnie Stewart formed the preferred central triangle for the U.S. team, but they were joined by a right-sided midfielder in previous qualifiers. The adjustment of adding O’Brien to the left was seamless as Reyna shifted slightly to his right and Stewart pushed forward.

During preparation for the crucial match, Arena spoke of having the wrong “balance of passers and workers in midfield” during the Yanks’ three-game losing streak. He said roles were distorted by the absence of certain players, and after the victory he elaborated.

“Obviously, the additions of Reyna and O’Brien helped our midfield immensely,” Arena said. “Having a couple of guys behind Earnie who could hold the ball and pass the ball gave Earnie much more freedom to run off the ball. The last couple of games, we’ve asked Armas to have to pass the ball a little too much and [asked] Earnie to come back and hold the ball. That’s not playing into their strengths.”

Landon Donovan, meanwhile, in his seventh national team appearance and second start of qualifying, combined with that midfield contingent better than any forward had in the United States’ previous five qualifiers. That rotation included Cobi Jones, Jovan Kirovski, Ante Razov, Brian McBride and Moore.

The result was a fluid attack that created numerous chances. But only a third of its 18 shots were on goal.

After Jamaica’s James Lawrence evened the score in the 14th minute and the missed opportunities continued to pile up, anxiety crept in. Minutes into the second half, O’Brien breezed past two Jamaicans to set up Moore, but Aaron Lawrence somehow parried the close-range volley.

“When the goalkeeper makes that save on Joe, you’re thinking ‘Oh, boy. Could be one of those days,'” U.S. assistant coach Dave Sarachan said.

While the nerves frayed on the sideline, the U.S. players on the field remained composed and consistent.

“Obviously, the early goal helps, but even when we were tied, we felt confident that we were going to get chances,” Donovan said. “We had a lot of chances – we could have put a few more away. We knew it was going to come, and eventually it did.”

EVENTUALLY IT DID. Donovan, 19, was the one to create the chance that mattered most. Running on to a pass from Reyna into the right side of the penalty area, Donovan stepped on the ball and reversed direction with his first touch. Jamaica’s Tyrone Marshall, caught off guard, slid recklessly, missing the stationary ball and clearing out Donovan’s legs.

Salvadoran referee Rodolfo Sibrian had no choice but to point to the penalty spot. Moore picked up the ball and checked briefly with Stewart, the other candidate to take penalty kicks. Arena had no part in the decision at that point:

“I said, ‘I don’t really care who takes it. The only thing I care about is that it ends up in the back of the net.'”

It did.

Under the weight of knowing that a tie or loss would almost certainly derail the United States’ qualifying campaign, Moore buried the kick in the right side netting in the 81st minute.

“It was a great penalty kick under the circumstances,” Reyna said.

Very little celebration ensued among the players, perhaps because Moore stared down Lawrence and jogged with furrowed eyebrows back to center as if to remind his teammates the job was not done yet.

About 13 minutes later the job was done, but still the expressions of glee seemed subdued. All the players on the U.S. bench knew a much greater cause for rejoicing might be possible. Mere minutes remained in the region’s other two qualifying matches.

The players gathered near Sam’s Army in the north end of Foxboro Stadium and donned warm jackets as they applauded the fans. Stewart passed on the extra layers, immune to the stiff winds because of his inability to stop bouncing and dancing.

The results came via cell phone first, then over the loudspeaker: Trinidad & Tobago 1, Honduras 0; Costa Rica 0, Mexico 0. Qualification was clinched.

“We really didn’t think it would happen today, just knowing the other games – Honduras at home, Mexico wanting to win,” Reyna said. “We just wanted to do our job today and take it to the final game. We’re so excited. I think, for all of us, it really hasn’t sunk in yet, but we’re excited to be there again.”

Said Jones: “Whenever you lose, there’s a lot of tension, and now we get a big victory and it’s a big shock – you think you’re going to play two games and need two victories, but all of a sudden you’re in the World Cup.”

Arena had said earlier in the week that “to think Trinidad will get a point in Honduras is fantasy.”

With fantasy a reality, U.S. Soccer’s managing director of events, Emilio Pozzi, scampered to the stadium’s VIP club to grab a few bottles of champagne, which he brought to the locker room. The emotions were varied: joy, shock, relief and, still, wistfulness.

“There’s really no pressure in what we’re doing today,” Reyna said. “It’s just a game. [The news from Afghanistan] just made us more relaxed. That’s pressure – what they’re doing over there, and the people who had to deal with losing family. What we’re doing is just fun. I think we were able to put everything in perspective once again, right before the game. … It was a bit strange.”

by Soccer America Associate Editor Will Kuhns