Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 20, 1995 TAG: 9507200059
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: FILIP BONDY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
John Harkes will play against Brazil tonight in Maldonado, Uruguay, the way he should have played against Brazil at Stanford last summer.
The former University of Virginia soccer player will have this second chance, along with the rest of the U.S. national team, because the Americans have pulled off a diverting miracle in Copa America, our hemisphere's biggest soccer event.
The U.S. has reached the semifinals, its longest stay in such a prestigious tournament since the 1930 World Cup. Even more stunning: The Americans deserve to be there. They have been at least the equals of Brazil, Colombia and host Uruguay.
After they added Mexico to their list of victims Monday, the American players gathered at their hotel before a TV set and watched the other quarterfinal in their bracket.
They rooted for Brazil, against Argentina.
``It was kind of funny, cheering to play the best team in the world,'' Harkes said Tuesday as he packed in Paysandu for the trip to Maldonado, ``but we think we have a shot.''
Harkes did not play against Brazil last summer in a second-round match at the World Cup because he had received his second yellow card for delaying play with a misplaced defensive wall.
America's best player, the star midfielder from Kearny, N.J., sat on the bench and watched America's biggest soccer match ever.
``It was frustrating, and I never agreed with that referee's decision,'' Harkes said Tuesday. ``But I'm through with that.''
Without Harkes, the full-throttle engine in their lineup, the Americans went down respectably on July 4, 1994, but without an ounce of creativity. They lost, 1-0, and Brazil went on to become champion.
``We have a better chance now,'' Harkes said. ``A lot of guys were young and nervous back then. Now we have patience. We have confidence. We have experience. People are backing off on the ball, giving us space and respect.
``I'm not trying to be cocky here, because Brazil still has the flair and they work hard, which is something people forget. But we are playing well. There's a rhythm to our play that was missing before.''
Could it be the Americans finally are defining an American soccer style? This particular group of players has been chasing such a sense of identity for six years, under three national coaches.
With Steve Sampson, still only an interim coach, they seem to have found the compromise between the European and South American style. There is an accent on attacking soccer, and on building play from the midfield.
``He seems to understand the American player pretty well,'' Harkes said.
The Americans have beaten Chile, Argentina and Mexico. They have done this almost in secret because the matches have not been broadcast here and because most news organizations believed this tournament would end in the first round for the U.S. team, as it did in 1993.
This time, however, the Americans sent their ``A'' team, which is competitive at any international level. The U.S. is not deep with quality players, but its best team can beat any nation that fields less than its best team.
This happened against Argentina, which badly misjudged the Americans. Having already clinched a quarterfinal spot, coach Daniel Passarella benched several starters for the first half - although, notably, attacker Gabriel Batistuta played the entire match.
The U.S. went ahead 2-0 at the half. Passarella panicked and brought back the regulars. The final was 3-0.
``Argentina learned the hard way,'' Harkes said, ``and no matter how you look at it, we still beat their best in the second half, 1-nil.''
Sabotaged by the loss, Argentina was forced to play Brazil in a quarterfinal. The Brazilians are without Romario and Bebeto, but they still defeated Argentina on penalty kicks after Tulio tied the score 2-2 off an apparent hand ball with 10 minutes left.
The U.S., flagging badly, tied Mexico 0-0, then won on penalty kicks, 4-1. Brad Friedel, the team's second-best goalkeeper, made a couple of correct guesses on the penalties - to the right side - after consulting with teammates who had played in the Mexican league.
Next comes Brazil, a match that can be seen in many areas on pay-per-view.
This generation of players - which includes relative old-timers like Harkes, Tab Ramos, Frank Klopas, Eric Wynalda, Paul Caligiuri and Marcelo Balboa - is peaking. You just hope the team can hang together through the 1997 CONCACAF region qualifying and then the 1998 World Cup in France.
``Don't worry,'' said Harkes, who must report to Derby in the English First Division as soon as Copa America is done. ``I'm a young 28.''
by CNB