Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, June 11, 1990 TAG: 9006110055
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: FLORENCE, ITALY LENGTH: Medium
Czechoslovakia trounced the outclassed U.S. team 5-1 in both teams' first match of the 24-nation world soccer championship.
Tomas Skuhravy scored twice and Michal Bilek, Ivan Hasek and Milan Luhovy scored once each for the Czechoslovaks, who led 3-0 before Paul Caligiuri scored on a solo rush in the 61st minute for the U.S. goal.
The United States played a man short for most of the second half after Eric Wynalda received a red card for a foul off the ball.
Czechoslovakia and the Americans are grouped with Italy and Austria in Group A. Italy beat Austria 1-0 in Rome on Saturday night.
Czechoslovakia repressed any U.S. hopes of continuing the early upsets in the World Cup.
"Our team showed more experience," coach Jozef Venglos said. "We expected a little bit more from the U.S. team.
"At the beginning, the U.S. team played us even, but then we started to play to our potential."
U.S. coach Bob Gansler concurred.
"Our inexperience showed," he said. "We started well and with a lot of confidence, but then we gave up two goals.
"I saw positive notes we can work on for the next match."
Czechoslovakia dominated for the first hour and could have scored more goals except for some poor finishing.
U.S. goalie Tony Meola stopped a second penalty kick by Bilek with two minutes left but missed some crosses.
Meola's jumpiness was shared by the U.S. defenders, whose lack of experience showed.
The United States held its own for the first 10 minutes on a cool evening. Then the Czechoslovaks took control.
Skuhravy's opening goal resulted from good work by Lubomir Moravcic and poor marking. Three U.S. defenders all moved to Moravcic, who crossed delicately from the edge of the penalty area.
Unmarked, Skuhravy drove the ball low past the helpless Meola.
The Czechoslovaks created chance after chance and moved further ahead in the 40th minute. Defender Mike Windischmann fouled Hasek in the penalty area and Bilek blasted the ball past Meola on the resulting penalty.
Czechoslovakia moved further ahead six minutes after halftime when Hasek soared over an immobile U.S. defense to head home a corner kick. The goal came just after Meola crashed into the goalpost while making a save.
Wynalda was sent off a minute later, but the U.S. team stormed back with Caligiuri, whose goal against Trinidad and Tobago put the Americans in the World Cup, scoring off a pass from Bruce Murray. He beat defender Frantisek Straka and goalkeeper Jan Stejkal, who had come off his line.
There were many Americans in the crowd of 33,266, but more of the fans were from Czechoslovakia, about a 13-hour drive from Florence.
Czechoslovakia ended a seven-game World Cup winless streak since a 3-1 victory over Yugoslavia in the semifinals on June 13, 1962. The Czechoslovaks lost the final that year to Brazil 3-1.
The last time the United States played in the World Cup was on July 2, 1950, when it lost 5-2 to Chile at Recife, Brazil.
Keywords:
SOCCER
by CNB