The U.S. connection in Mexico

Four U.S. national team players joined Mexican clubs for the second half of the 1994-95 season.

The quartet of Americans who went south in January could not have picked a more exciting time: The Mexican league is experiencing a renaissance.

After being banned from the 1990 World Cup — its U-20 team fielded overage players in the 1988 CONCACAF championship — Mexico finished second in the 1993 Copa America, won the 1993 Gold Cup, and cruised through 1994 World Cup qualifying.

At the World Cup, Mexico reached the second round.

Unlike other Latin American countries, the Mexican league retained its national team stars. Jorge Campos, Luis Roberto Alvez “Zague,” Carlos Hermosillo, Ramon Ramirez et al. still ply their trade in the Mexican First Division.

Both aging Hugo Sanchez and Luis Garcia, still in his prime, have returned from Spain. They combine with a host of foreign players — notably, Cameroon’s Francois Omam Biyik — who have captured the fans’ imagination.

The Americans — Marcelo Balboa, Dominic Kinnear, Tab Ramos and Mike Sorber —
are now trying to make an impact.

Kinnear is playing for title favorite Necaxa. He was not expected to get much playing time on the star-studded squad, but so far is the only American to score this season.

Ramos was starting in midfield for Tigres — last place in Group 1 — but suffered a knee injury March 31. He hopes the recovery will only take two weeks.

Sorber has nailed down a starting spot as a defensive midfielder for UNAM, which has lost only once since he joined the team. UNAM has a good shot at a playoff spot.

Balboa, a starter in the Leon central defense, is also trying to help his team win a playoff spot — granted to the top two finishers in each of the four groups. Leon is last in Group 4 but only three points out of first.

by Soccer America Senior Editor Mike Woitalla

LEON