Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, July 5, 1994 TAG: 9407050075
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Knight-Ridder/Tribune
DATELINE: PALO ALTO, CALIF. LENGTH: Medium
But it blew, just as everyone at Stanford Stadium knew it would, eventually.
Romario to Bebeto, the two golden boys of Brazilian soccer who have been known to play with a little envy of each other, after an eternity of botched opportunities, produced the goal that beat the United States and sent 22 gutty gentlemen home from the World Cup.
This 1-0 loss did not produce the Fourth of July the U.S. team had hoped for, but you can't summon destiny like a car from the motor pool.
No need to inquire about the emotional state of the U.S. players and their often inscrutable coach, Bora Milutinovic.
Midfielder Tab Ramos was in the hospital overnight with a minor skull fracture above his left ear.
But no one was applying for couch therapy. The players were disappointed but not despondent, and there was no reason to be.
They had a wonderful ride, beating Colombia, tying Switzerland and kindling an excitement about the game never before felt in this country - not even during the days when Pele brought his personal temple of soccer to New York in the early 1980s.
When the overnight television ratings are released by ABC-TV Sports today they are expected to reflect record numbers of viewers.
"Today we gave something to the sport which has given so much to us," said defender Paul Caligiuri. "I think we have a lot to be proud of. We lost, but we played respectably. It's going to generate a lot of excitement for the future of the sport, and we have to keep building from here."
It really was a one-sided match. Brazil outshot the U.S. team 16-4 and only one U.S. attempt came from within the penalty area.
The technically superior Brazilians dominated possession time from start to finish, showing why they are a cut above every other team in this tournament.
Defensively, they were all over the Americans from the forward line back. Their quickness was amazing and it showed in the dozens of steals that disrupted whatever build-up the Americans attempted.
When it was over, what was left of the audience of 84,147 saluted both teams - Brazil for its "Brazil-liance" and the U.S. team for its courage and tenacity.
"A world-class team," Bebeto said of the Americans. "We never thought it was going to be an easy game."
Bebeto's remarks were the generosity winners always seem to be able to afford.
In truth, it wasn't easy because the Brazilians insisted on doing it the hard way in the first half.
Romario missed two wide-open shots from inside the box, the second coming in the 45th minute and slamming against the right post.
Bebeto flubbed a scissors kick he should have put away.
Marcio Santos and Aldair, on the same sequence, had one-on-ones with goalkeeper Tony Meola and never got enough on their shots.
Then, in the 44th minute, came an incident that might have devastated another team.
Defender Leonardo was red-carded for cracking his elbow into the side of Ramos' head during a tussle for the ball on the left sideline.
"Losing a player was not really a trauma, but it created a difficult situation," said Brazil's coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira.
Bebeto's goal, in the 74th minute, started with a Brazilian steal in midfield by Romario, who came steaming down the middle toward the U.S. goal like a runaway locomotive. He feinted his way around Marcelo Balboa's right side and saw Bebeto racing past defender Alexi Lalas.
Romario's chip pass left Bebeto a difficult but not impossible angle and he grounded the ball into the far corner, well beyond Meola's diving reach.
The U.S. team had only one solid opportunity to score. In the 12th minute, Ramos used his flashy dribble and experience to sight midfielder Thomas Dooley loose in the box.
He shipped him the ball, but a bit wide. Dooley stretched to get his leg on it and got it past goalkeeper Taffarel. But it was wide of the post by a foot.
"But it wasn't meant to be. Maybe someone's telling us, `Keep working and it will come,' " said Timo Liekoski, a U.S. assistant coach. "That's what we have to do now. Turn our concentration to the next step."
by CNB