Young American pros take care of business
Much has been made of how the squad Clive Charles assembled for 2000 Olympics qualifying was “more professional” than any that had come before it. If the meaning wasn’t clear, witness what occurred in the town that calls itself – and this is trademarked – “The Sweetest Place On Earth.”
In the span of a week and a half, the Americans did exactly what they had to do, no more nor less, to claim one of CONCACAF’s two spots for this summer’s Sydney Olympics.
Two important matches: two impressive triumphs.
Two meaningless matches: a 0-0 draw and a loss.
End result: A trip to Australia.
Very sweet indeed.
“I think,” assessed Ben Olsen, one of eight U.S. players in Hershey with more than two years’ pro experience, “we were very professional.”
Case in point: The Americans’ Group D finale, against Canada.
A surprisingly easy 3-0 victory over Honduras in their opener, along with a Honduran win over Canada and Mexico’s rout of Panama, made inevitable a showdown for an Olympic berth with Guatemala – their desired foe – unless the Canadians pulled off an unlikely rout.
The Yanks couldn’t match the Canadians’ intensity, got thrown off their rhythm by Canada’s confrontational style and, as a long, unsatisfying evening wore on, did what was necessary to salvage a scoreless tie.
“That’s the professionalism of this team,” Olsen observed. “OK, maybe we didn’t play a good game against Canada, but getting that draw … we knew we were in [the semifinal], so it was don’t get hurt, no cards, and then [against Guatemala] we give it all we’ve got.”
That’s how it played out, for the most part. They couldn’t avoid all the cards against Canada – captain Brian Dunseth received a yellow, knocking him out of the next match, then took a red after an ugly incident just before halftime – but Guatemala never stood a chance.
A fierce volley from John O’Brien after just 44 seconds, Josh Wolff’s follow-up to a Chris Albright shot seven minutes later and the first of two Landon Donovan strikes in the 22nd minute, and that was that.
Champagne shower
“Right now, they’re in the dressing room with champagne over their heads, and singing and shouting,” Charles reported as soon as the 4-0 romp was over. “There’s music going on in there that you don’t want to listen to and I don’t want to listen to.”
Two days later, long faces. With nothing concrete to play for in the championship game, the Americans get worn out by Honduran forward David Suazo’s quick, fresh legs and settle for second place, 2-1.
“This definitely puts a damper on today,” midfielder Peter Vagenas offered. “Once we get on the plane, go home, and realize what we did, then maybe this [feeling] will go away.
“We thought we were the best team in CONCACAF, tried to prove it, and came one step closer. But there’s a silver lining.”
Yeah, the Olympics.
The storybook finish belonged to the Hondurans, who had withdrawn from the tournament, then quickly changed their mind, after a brief player revolt two days before the opener.
They’d bounced back from the loss to the United States with an entertaining victory over Canada, then stunned Mexico on penalty kicks to claim the other Olympic berth.
Mexico coach Gustavo Vargas said his team, unimpressive throughout the tournament, had played as if they “believed their shirts would win.”
The Mexicans couldn’t crack Honduras’ defensive wall over 120 minutes, and Juan Pablo Rodriguez – the best of the Tricolores attackers – clanged his penalty kick, the first, off the left post. Nobody else missed, and the Hondurans added to the Mexico’s litany of shootout tragedy.
“This is a historic time for us, the first time we’ve ever gone to an event like this,” said Honduras coach Ramon Enrique Maradiaga. He was asked why his players had knelt together during the tiebreaker.
“Certainly,” he said, “we are a group of players who believe in God, who believe in work and who believe in hard work.”
The Americans’ path to Australia was stunningly simple:
Honduras, the Americans’ most worrisome first-round opponent, arrives late, in turmoil and without its best player. The Yanks miss more than they make, goalkeeper Adin Brown’s stops save the lead, and Charles’ substitutions pay off with a 3-0 win.
A week later, they throw a heretofore unseen 4-3-3 alignment at Guatemala – sending Olsen forward, with Albright and Wolff – score those early goals and take a champagne shower.
Charles’ changes
It was the second time Charles had distinguished himself in the tournament. With two changes in his lineup already necessary – Danny Califf for the suspended Dunseth and Tim Howard for Brown, who had twisted his knee in training – Charles went further. He used Wolff, a substitute since returning from knee surgery, in place of Conor Casey up front, then put teen scoring sensation Donovan behind the front three.
“Clive said he didn’t really think Guatemala would be able to deal with the change, and that was key,” Wolff said. “They didn’t know what we were really doing. …
“Give credit to Clive. He felt we would have that space and numbers in midfield to go forward. In the first half, they didn’t get a sniff of getting the ball through us. It was always us winning it, playing through them, getting wide or playing up the middle …”
The Guatemalan defense couldn’t contend with the forwards, and O’Brien, Donovan and Vagenas took charge behind them. O’Brien struck from 20 yards after Albright nodded back a Vagenas cross, and a low, long ball from McCarty led to Wolff’s goal. An Olsen free kick sprung Wolff for a cross that Donovan deposited, and Donovan added another in second-half stoppage time from a Casey feed.
“We haven’t created more chances than in the first 20 minutes,” O’Brien said. “That was exceptional.”
Albright, in particular, was spectacular – as he was all tournament – and don’t think Europe isn’t impressed with his blend of size, speed and skill. Foreign scouts dotted the Hersheypark Stadium stands, and an offer – to MLS – is expected.
Brown, too, was noticed – Norwegian power Rosenborg offered the league $1 million for his services – and several others, including Wolff, Casey and defender Chad McCarty have drawn interest.
Charles knows where to send thanks.
“Whatever success we have,” he declared before anything had been achieved, “99.9 percent of the credit goes to our league. They’ve all developed way quicker than they would have if they’d stayed in school.”
That experience was evident on the field, especially in the back, and in how the players approached the job at hand: as a job.
Two-thirds of the 18-man qualifying roster plays in MLS, and all except Casey are pros.
“I think MLS has helped [my teammates] exceptionally,” noted O’Brien, who headed to Ajax Amsterdam while in his teens. “I used to take it real seriously when I’d step onto the field, and the other guys, when they finished their college season, would come with more a smile and a laugh.
“They all approach it in a more professional way now.”
That’s how they’ll approach Sydney.
by Soccer America senior editor Scott French