US Soccer to face Mexico - expect more Osama chants

soccernet.com ^ | 02/07/04 | Associated Press

[Pa' fuera]

Associated Press

GUADALAJARA, Mexico -- Alecko Eskandarian scored three goals to lead the United States to a 4-3 victory over Honduras on Saturday, setting up a showdown with Mexico for a spot in the Athens Olympics.

The United States won Group A of this regional soccer qualifier and will next play Mexico, most likely before more than 50,000 Mexican fans. Costa Rica next plays Honduras, and the winners of those games Tuesday advance to the Olympics.

"The Mexican team will start the game with 12 players because of the 60,000," U.S. coach Glenn Myernick said of the fans expected for Tuesday's game. "But none of them can kick the ball.

"Getting to the Olympics is a big prize and it shouldn't come easy and it won't."

The United States played most of the way with 10 men after defender Jose Burciaga Jr. was sent off in the 29th minute.

Fans booed and whistled over the lack of early action, and Kyle Beckerman broke open the sluggish game when he scored from the right side in the 46th minute.

Eskandarian scored on a free kick past the Honduran wall from just beyond the penalty circle after 27 minutes. His second goal came in the 57th minute with goalkeeper John Bodden out of position. He added a third goal in the 69th minute.

"I figured that if they are not going to pressure me, then I'm going to punish them for their mistake," Eskandarian said. "It was their decision to drop back and they have to live with the consequences. If they are happy with losing, that's fine."

Roland Maradiaga scored for Honduras on penalty kicks in the 29th and 71st minutes. Samir Arzu added a third goal in the 75th minute.

With both teams assured of advancing, Honduras rested eight starters and the United States seven, including World Cup team figures DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan and Bobby Convey, who had four goals in the first two games of the tournament.

Mexican fans are eager to avenge the U.S. team's 2-0 victory that knocked their team out of the 2002 World Cup. Donovan scored in that game.

Donovan is confident, despite the huge crowd expected on Tuesday.

"I think that psychologically we have an edge right now," he said. "Mexico desperately wants to beat us and sometimes when you want to win that hard, that desperately, it's difficult. There's a lot of pressure."

Earlier, Panama topped Canada 2-1. Both teams already had been eliminated from contention for a berth at the Athens Games. Victor Mirando and Jose Luis Garces scored for Panama. Robert Friend had Canada's goal.

[Pa' fuera]

US to play Mexico on Tuesday

[Pa' fuera]

following up on this:

U.S. soccer team hears Osama chants in Mexico


Associated Press
Feb. 6, 2004 12:30 PM


ZAPOPAN, Mexico - The Mexican crowd hooted "The Star-Spangled Banner." It booed U.S. goals. It chanted "Osama! Osama! Osama!" as U.S. players left the field with a 2-0 victory.

And that was in a game against Canada on Thursday before just 1,500 people.

A game Tuesday in neighboring Guadalajara will determine whether the U.S. under-23 soccer team heads to the Athens Games.

"This is what it is all about," coach Glenn Myernick said. "You are 90 minutes away from being in the Olympics."

The U.S. team faces Honduras on Saturday in its last first-round game, which will determine if the Americans play Costa Rica or Mexico in the deciding game on Tuesday. While the Americans will surely face a hostile crowd against Costa Rica, a matchup with Mexico would mean a game in front of more than 50,000 hometown fans seeking revenge.

The United States knocked Mexico out of the World Cup in 2002, and Mexican fans will be looking for some retribution if the teams meet in the semifinals.

Myernick refused to say which his team would prefer to play.

"I think both Mexico and Costa Rica are very good teams," he said. "We don't fear either team. We would be delighted to play either one."

On Friday, Costa Rica plays Mexico to determine which finishes first in Group B. Saturday's match against Honduras will determine the winner of Group A. The winner of each group faces the No. 2 team in the other in Tuesday's doubleheader. The winner of each game goes to Athens.

Honduras coach Edwin Pavon was more explicit when asked which team he would rather play in the semifinals, although he went out of his way to avoid offending Costa Rica.

"I am not going to tell you the name, but imagine a full Jalisco Stadium while facing Mexico, with all the stands dressed in green," Pavon said. "I think I won't answer the rest of the question."

Myernick said his team will use the game against Honduras as preparation for the semifinal. Myernick said he wanted "to continue to improve and not just use the Honduras game as a nothing game."

On Thursday, U.S. midfielder Bobby Convey scored twice on passes from Landon Donovan. Convey also had scored twice against Panama on Tuesday.

Earlier, Emil Martinez scored twice to lead Honduras to a 3-1 victory over Panama. The losses eliminated Panama and Canada from advancing.

In eight games so far in the qualifying tournament, none has ended in a tie. Mexico and Costa Rica each routed Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, and the United States and Honduras beat Panama and Canada.

[xJones]

"I think that psychologically we have an edge right now," he said. "Mexico desperately wants to beat us and sometimes when you want to win that hard, that desperately, it's difficult. There's a lot of pressure."

Let's help the Mexicans. Start a chant, "Illegals, go home!!!"

[Azzurri]

Well, things are not looking too good. Mexico is beating the USA 3-0 with only a few minutes left. No word on the crowd behavior yet.