Sport Today

This game was not as up and down as the score might seem.  IT was all
and I mean all Germany.  I think the US had 5 shots and scored on
three of them.  They were totally out played today, of course that
is no real embarrasment losing this way the the defending champs.  If
someone has told me a week ago that the US would come out of the
tournament with a goal differential of only -1 I would have told them
they were nuts.

Anyway Germany took the lead on a Tony Meola special.  Tony, for the
up***th time this year completely misjudged a cross and Klinesman
somehow knocked it in with the help of a US defender.

The US came back with one of its few offensive punches in the first
half when Tab hit Roy with a long high through ball right on stride
and Roy neatly took it down with one touch and with the next he rifled
it across about 10 yards out to an onrushin Thomas Dooley who
cleanly finished the the shot under the German keeper Kopka(sp).

The Germans then hit back with two nicely taken headers by Riedle to
go up 3-1 at intermission and the US were lucky to be only down by
two.  Tony made some nice reaction saves to keep the score
respectable.

Germany open the second half very strong and Riedle put away a
glorious diving header that Meola had no chance on.  Desmond Armstrong
continued to show why the US needs Marcelo to get back.

Stewart came on for an ineffective Wynalda and had one dangerous run
but could not get a shot off.

Mike Lapper hit a long ball to Ernie and he out raced Kohler to the
ball as it was slipping near the end line and Ernie tucked the ball
under the keeper in it rolled into the net in slow motion as if it had
eyes.

About 5 minutes later Tom Dooley hit a magnificent header from about
16 yards out that completely handcuffed the german keeper to bring the
score to its final tally of 4-3.

The announcing was terrible. If Seamus Mallon wasn't there it would
have been a total disgrace.  But its very unfrontunate when a twit
like Roger Twibell makes a comment out of the blue like "gee, the US
seems to be much more effective when Tab has the ball on his foot".
Hell, how do you answer something like that when the dingbat is
completely right.  Tab needs to have the ball alot more than he is
getting it.  He stuck on one side of the field and is often hemmed in
by the sideline.  

The camera work I thougth was very good.  Wasn't it so pleasent to have
no commercials.  I didn't even notice the clock in the corner of the
sceen afetr a couple of minutes.

The crowd was large but relatively quiet.  Definately the quietest
crowd so far at the US Cup.  The 53000 strong I believe shatters
Soldier Fields old record for soccer attendance.  I'm not sure how
many attended the game down in RFK but it was also suppose to be in
the 50,000 range.

This tournament has been a complete and utter success.  The soccer
has been entertaining for the US audience.  The crowds have been
wonderful.  No problems with any fans at any of the stadiums.  The US
did not get embarresed.  

Woops my phone just rang and it was Frank Dell'Apa calling me from RFK
stadium.  Great news, the game was considered a sellout with over
54,000 people in attendance.  Well done for all the venues.  This puts
a lot of pressure on the Silverdome where the great experiment will
take place next week.  They showed a quick glimpse of the new grass
being layed down in hexagonal patterns.  They are hoping for a record
crowd of almost 60,000.  If they can get it that would just top off
the tournament.  They have the luck of even being able to market the
game to be the "deciding game" because if Germany can pull off the win
against England they will win the second US Cup trophy.

I'de love to hear other peoples comments about the US Cup tournament.
As far as friendlies go, I don't think it can get much better.

Andy

ps Brazil 1 England 1

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I noticed that Meola was standing in the middle of the goal line on all
of the corners and would begin running forward (i.e. towards the ball) as
soon as it was kicked.  He then had to run backwards when he missed.  The
first corner was just this, then he punched one over the line in the same
fashion.  The one cross he grabbed high, he was moving backward and ended
up landing on his back.  Can anyone who has seen him play more comment on
his play versus high crosses.

{
{The US came back with one of its few offensive punches in the first
{half when Tab hit Roy with a long high through ball right on stride
{and Roy neatly took it down with one touch and with the next he rifled
{it across about 10 yards out to an onrushin Thomas Dooley who
{cleanly finished the the shot under the German keeper Kopka(sp).
{

Why did Bora sub Cobi jones for Ramos.  I don't quite understand this.  I
may see that he wanted speed, but Tab seems to really generate some
threat for the US.

{The Germans then hit back with two nicely taken headers by Riedle to
{go up 3-1 at intermission and the US were lucky to be only down by
{two.  Tony made some nice reaction saves to keep the score
{respectable.

Wasn't Doyle on Riedle for all three of his goals.  Doyle had only a few
good plays in the game.  

{The announcing was terrible. If Seamus Mallon wasn't there it would
{have been a total disgrace.  But its very unfrontunate when a twit
{like Roger Twibell makes a comment out of the blue like "gee, the US
{seems to be much more effective when Tab has the ball on his foot".
{Hell, how do you answer something like that when the dingbat is
{completely right.  Tab needs to have the ball alot more than he is
{getting it.  He stuck on one side of the field and is often hemmed in
{by the sideline.  

Twibell asked both Mallon and the other announcer (?) if it was better to
have lost with a low score or a high score.  There seemed to be a long
pause before anyone answered.  I could just imagine Seamus looking at him
in disbelief.

-Eric

-Dave

: The commentary for that match has been the best i heard in years. They are
: definitely better than the imbeciles at SCA. Malin and Davis didn't assume
: the viewers were clueless like the SCA folks always do (explaning how big the
: field is, inane stuff, etc...). Last time i heard Malin was during Mexico'86
: when he did it for NBC. Twibell wasn't bad either, he didn't ask too many
: dumb questions (ok that one about the 6-0 scoreline) and he's better than
: those guys from TNT and John Paul Dellacamera at SCA by a mile.

: -Dave

Dave,

I rarely disagree with you but this time I can't help it.  Roger made
many many mistakes, constantly mucking up the german names, who is
Riddle any way?  He said the US are playing in the Copa......., and when he
realized that he had no idea what the name was he just quickly said
"errr next week".  Although he did have one beauty when he asked Rick
if soccer players had a hard head because they had to head balls so
much.  He kept putting Davis, who's no Martin Tyler himself, and
Seamus into impossible situiations with his stupid comments.  Perhaps
he didn't think that we had heard the full Thomas Dooley story the
first three times he said it.

Can't we just find one guy who has actually seen a European
match.  Thank god for Seamus but alas he will not announce any games
for the WC.  He is being used as the head analyst in studio by ABC and ESPN.

Andy

Clavijo was way too slow.

The US defenders tried to dribble too much near their own goal instead
of getting up to the midfileders.  By that time, the German attackers
would come up and pressure tehm, and either take the ball away, or
force them to indiscriminantly boot the ball upfiled, usually onto the
waiting foot of another German.

The US is really lacking in the defensive department.  Does anyone
think that maybe having 5 defenders actually makes things worse?  If
we had two strikers up there, then at least that is occupying another
opponent on the other end, and our counter-attack would be more
effective.

Also, is Cle Koimann (sp?) supposed to good?  Why didn't he play?  Not
even as a sub.  These can't be the best five defenders we have.  It
just can't be.

- Paul

"Still, the US has shown not to be third rate anymore. Their first goal
was a beauty; the way Wegerle controlled and passed in one flowing
movement showed great class. Next year the US could reach the second
round if[...]"

Well, maybe I am too cynical, but I think this kind of dreaming (from
our own bench of course :-) hurt us in '90. We should get real enough
to realise that the goals are: (1) Score at least one goal in the whole
goddamn thing. It now looks like we will get this no matter who we
play (2) Take a point of any sort from any opponent. I am optimistic
we will get this, too. (3) Win at least one game. In '90 there was the
one chance of the miracle equaliser against Italy which would have
produced their biggest shame since 1966, but that would only have been
a draw. We were not otherwise ever close to a win, even against a very
beatable Austria with a man advantage most of the game. (4) Pass to the
second round. Even at home, I think it will take a miracle to get this.

Guys, this stuff is harder than it sounds. If not for a great counter
play against a Czech team which had already buried us, we would have
been the second N Am team in two cups that leaves without a goal. We
should only expect to get (1) and (2) above, and hope mildly for (3).
Anything more than that is icing. If I hear the US coach announce
brashly to the world like last time that "our stated goal is to
qualify for the second round", my optimism will go down a notch or two.

WE DO NOT NEED THE PRESSURE OF UNREALISTIC EXPECTATIONS.
--
Gruss,
Dr Bruce Scott                             The deadliest bullshit is
Max-Planck-Institut fuer Plasmaphysik       odorless and transparent
bds at spl6n1.aug.ipp-garching.mpg.de                 -- W Gibson

        [stuff deleted]

Chris

Gustaaf

A Dutchman in the desert. Currently in Stockholm, Sweden.

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