Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 8, 1990 TAG: 9006080310
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FLORENCE, ITALY LENGTH: Medium
"In Italy, I think some of the fans said if they don't beat the U.S. 4-0 it's a disgrace," said Mike Windischmann, the U.S. team captain.
Windischmann and his teammates attended a news conference Thursday in this historic city, where the United States will play Czechoslovakia on Sunday in America's first World Cup game since 1950.
Argentina, led by Diego Maradona, begins the defense of its World Cup championship today against Cameroon.
With the world's soccer showcase opening in their city, Milan's 1.5 million residents put on gala musical show Thursday night at La Scala and prepared for a lavish pregame ceremony today.
After the news conference, the U.S. team slipped into Stadio Comunale, site of Sunday's game, and walked around the field for five minutes. The players weren't supposed to go to the stadium until Saturday, and the team was admonished by an official from FIFA, soccer's governing body.
Florence inspired the creativity of Michelangelo, da Vince and Dante, and U.S. coach Bob Gansler was at his creative best in avoiding reporters' questions.
Asked about an alleged derogatory statement by Austrian coach Josef Hickersberger, Gansler said: "If I believed everything I read in the American press, I would be in big trouble. My grandfather told me you can't believe everything you read."
The players certainly don't like what they have read. The London Telegraph, for instance, wrote that the Americans are 2,000-1 to win the Cup and would be "lucky to go home with their pride intact."
"We've been listening to the same song and dance for the last couple of months, especially since we qualified," said goalkeeper Tony Meola, a former University of Virginia star. "It's something that a year ago, when I first came on the team, really upset me."
The Americans recognize they are underdogs. They just don't like hearing about it all the time.
"It adds fuel to the fire and we have this burning desire," said Paul Caligiuri, whose goal against Trinidad and Tobago sent the U.S. team on its way to Italy.
Czechoslovakia is a 1 1/2-goal favorite Sunday. The Americans, according to Las Vegas bookmakers, are 20-1 to win any first-round game and 7-1 to tie.
"I liked the odds I saw today," Meola said. "They were down to 600-1 or something. That's a pretty good bet. Someone want to put something down for me?"
Although soccer fans here expect the U.S. team to be beaten badly, it's not clear what the Americans' opponents believe.
"We respect the U.S. and will have to take the field with a maximum of concentration against them," said Josef Venglos, Czechoslovakia's coach. "They are good athletes and very well-trained. I admire what the U.S. coach has done with his players."
Did Venglos mean it? Or was he blowing smoke? Gansler said trying to figure that out is "just guesswork."
by CNB