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MEXICO 1 / UNITED-STATES 0, February 15, 1998. |
LOS ANGELES, California, February 16, 1998 (AP). Alexi Lalas, who made a critical mistake in the United States' 1-0 loss to Mexico, wasn't hanging his head afterward. "It's disappointing, but we have to build on it. And we're still going to France," the U.S. defender said Sunday after the Americans' record six-game winning streak ended in the CONCACAF Gold Cup finals. Coach Steve Sampson, whose team also had a record-tying nine-game unbeaten streak halted, put the defeat in perspective. "If you look back at where we were on January 5 to where we are today, I think this team has made enormous strides to gain the focus we need come June 15 when we play Germany," Sampson said. The Americans open World Cup play against Germany. The U.S. team reached the championship game by beating Brazil for the first time ever, a 1-0 victory in the semifinal. Mexico, which played the Americans to ties in two World Cup qualifying matches last year, won the Gold Cup for the third time. The Mexicans had humbled the U.S. team 4-0 in the Gold Cup final in Mexico City in 1993. With some three-fourths of the fans in the sellout crowd cheering the Mexicans on, their inspired defenders didn't allow the Americans many scoring chances. Preki Radosavljevic, who came off the bench in the second half to score the deciding goals in the United States' 2-1 victory over Costa Rica in the second round and the upset of Brazil in the semifinals, missed a chance to do it again. Shortly after entering the game after halftime, Radosavljevic had an open shot from 15 feet after a scramble in front of Mexico's goal, but he missed by inches outside the right post. The first half was a story of two headers: Hernandez made one and the United States' Eddie Pope barely missed one. Hernandez, who has moved up from the midfield to forward, headed in a cross by Salvador Carmona in the 43rd minute. Carmona's pass from near the goal line to the right of the net curled left and away from goalkeeper Kasey Keller, and Hernandez struck the ball solidly to beat Keller to the goalkeeper's right. That Mexican attack began when Ramon Ramirez stole the ball from Lalas, who was some 10 yards in front of the box and trying to clear the ball. The goal was the first against Keller in 405 minutes; he had shut out Brazil 1-0 last Tuesday, shortly after arriving from England, where he had successive shutouts over Leeds, Manchester United and Liverpool for Leicester of the English Premier League. Pope's shot at the 26th minute was the United States' best scoringchance of the first half, but his header off a corner kick sailed over the bar, a foot too high. "We had a great win against Brazil, and we came out in the second half [against Mexico] and gave it all we had," Keller said. "And it's all gearing toward June." The loss came before a sellout crowd of 91,255, some 70,000 of them cheering for Mexico. Mexico-United States matches in Los Angeles always have seemed more like a road game for the Americans. "Our fans were player No. 12," Mexico coach Manuel Lapuente said. "They made a big difference in this game and we give them our sincere thanks for their support." Some of the fans hurled trash and cups of beer at the U.S. players as they left the field. "It always hurts to lose, but it hurts the most to lose to Mexico, especially in this type of environment," Lalas said. "Their attitude was very disrespectful. I don't know, maybe I love my country too much." 
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