After ‘Roy-Roy’ boys come up empty, Ramos goal brings U.S. closer to France. Snapshots from Portland: Tab Ramos’ excellent 78th-minute strike gives the U.S. a 1-0 win over Costa Rica and sends a capacity crowd of nearly 28,000 Nike-clackers wild in Portland; The U.S. performs a post-game curtain call at the behest of the fans; players are mobbed by TV crews on the field while U.S. Soccer officials embrace each other; and U.S. coach Steve Sampson declares that “I’m definitely euphoric right now.” Yes, the scenes and atmosphere at Civic Stadium were unprecedented. Those are the images that the highlight footage will dwell upon ù it should, it’s good TV. But it was as if the U.S. had actually won the World Cup and not a routine qualifier against a Costa Rican team that’s been in freefall since the summer. Ramos’ goal came as the U.S. looked to be plodding its way to another scoreless tie with a faltering frontline that lacked penetration. It was a match won the hard way and at times equally hard to watch. A win that came after a week’s preparation where internecine squabbling belied the quiet calm of Portland. A couple of Sampson’s selection questions had been swiftly answered by the suspension of U.S. skipper John Harkes. Kasey Keller, a Portland alumnus, got both the start and wore the captain’s armband. Though yellow cards kept Harkes out, they also paved the way for the return of Ramos, who suffered a serious knee injury in his last qualification game, last Nov. 24. And another problem solved itself 10 minutes before kickoff, no doubt much later than anyone would have wanted. Eric Wynalda, inactive with his MLS team for several weeks because of a groin injury and whose status was questionable all week, finally withdrew from the lineup with a sore calf muscle. “Ten minutes before the game, Eric said ‘Steve, I can’t do this to the team. I’m not going to fool you. I can’t play,'” said Sampson. “I remember pulling a calf muscle in the warm-up on my comeback with the MetroStars,” said Ramos. “Eric came up to me and asked me how it felt. I told him and then said he had to play. He didn’t and I was bummed about it, no question … but it shows we can win without him.” The other lineup switch, the insertion of Tom Dooley, came sooner. Sampson had been reluctant to break up what he perceived as the equilibrium of the understanding between Marcelo Balboa, Alexi Lalas and defensive midfielder Mike Sorber, despite Lalas’ poor club form and Dooley’s successful MLS entry with the Columbus Crew.
Enter the ‘Roy-Roy’ boys
Dooley got the start in a three-man defense, alongside Eddie Pope and Balboa. Brazil has its “Ro-Ro” boys (Ronaldo and Romario), for the Costa Rica game the U.S. offense comprised of the “Roy-Roy Boys,” as Roy Lassiter was inserted into the attack alongside Roy Wegerle, whose last game at club level was an appearance for D.C. United against the USISL Division III team the San Francisco Seals in the Open Cup four days earlier. Although Wegerle had been slated to start, Sampson had talked of using him sparingly, while Lassiter was supposed to represent The Big Threat coming off the bench. Where, one wonders, will the 90-minute attacker come from? And the results were less than spectacular. Wegerle held the ball well at times, but aside from a farcical shoving match with Alex Madrigal that ended with both players falling theatrically to the ground, provided little threat. Lassiter’s runs on goal were ill-timed, the player coming in wide and late, and producing no more than the offside flag. The Ticos, for all coach Juan Luis Hernandez’s tough talk of assassination attempts on U.S. presidents and beheading rival coaches, were a timid bunch and bore all the hallmarks of a team that looked perfectly happy to settle for a point. Only Hernan Medford looked vaguely interested and his second-minute free kick ù after being fouled by Pope ù flew safely into the arms of Keller. Four minutes later, Lassiter failed to capitalize on sloppy Costa Rican defending and saw a tame shot palmed away to safety by Erick Lonnis. In the 18th minute, Lonnis made hard work of a 35-yard Claudio Reyna free kick. The ball bounced in front of him and the keeper batted the ball to safety. The first 20 minutes, according to Sampson would be the most important and Costa Rica was beginning to buckle. Hernandez sent on Jeaustin Campos for a struggling Kenny Paniagua in the 27th minute to restore some order to a shambolic midfield. The Ticos threatened briefly in the 41st minute when Harold Wallace wrestled Sorber for the ball, won the challenge and whipped in a cross to Ronald Gomez, who produced a fine reflex save from Keller. However, the U.S. midfield was struggling, too, both with a slippery playing surface ù grass imported and laid for around $100,000 by U.S. Soccer ù and their own duties. Agoos, carrying a sprained ankle, held his own on the left, but Ramos and right winger Ernie Stewart got in each other’ way while Sorber, playing deep and stretched wide, struggled to hold the central midfield together. Only Reyna, cool, confident and displaying the kind of touch that Sampson has been seeking for so long, really stood out. “I don’t know why people are always referring to him as the player of the future,” said Ramos of his teammate. “I mean he’s in the midfield now, contributing now, he’s not here for 2002.” One move came in the 41st minute, when Lassiter was just a little slow to connect with a perfectly timed ball. Another great ball came in the 56th. This time Pope couldn’t quite connect to a gilt-edged chance with any force.