GOOD SHOW AT THE COPA

By Steve Wulf

By successfully acting as host to the 1994 World Cup last July, the U. S. proved it could embrace soccer, at least on a temporary basis. In Uruguay this July for the 1995 Copa America, the U.S. proved it could actually play the sport.

The U.S. team surprised most of the soccer world by beating Chile, Argentina and Mexico to advance to the semifinals of the Copa, the South American championship that some consider the second most important tournament in the world. Alas, the U.S. lost 1-0 to Brazil Thursday night in Maldonado, but the team played well enough to put a scare into the Brazilians, who had never lost to the North Americans and in fact had not given up a goal to them in 65 years. As Carlos Alberto Parreira, who coached Brazil to its World Cup victory last year, says, "The U.S. is not the dead chicken that everyone used to think."

Last year in the World Cup, the U.S. also lost to the Brazilians 1-0, using many of the same players. But under then coach Bora Milutinovic, the Americans were simply trying to avoid embarrassment, playing defensive soccer even when they had a one-man advantage. In April, Milutinovic was relieved of his duties by the U.S. Soccer Federation, leaving the team in the hands of assistant coach Steve Sampson until a high-profile coach with international experience could be found. Among those who were approached with a $300,000 salary offer was Parreira, but he turned it down.

So when Copa America began two weeks ago, it was not only the U.S. that had something to prove but also Sampson as well. A 38-year-old Californian with a history of success coaching the University of Santa Clara, Sampson was diplomatic about his interim position, but he clearly wanted the job. "I think it's every coach's dream to be the coach of one's country," he told the Los Angeles Times. "It's an honor, a privilege." Even before the tournament in Uruguay began, observers could see the improvement in the American team, thanks in part to added international experience--18 of the 22 team members now play professionally outside the U.S.--and in part to Sampson's aggressive style of play. "Steve's letting us play open soccer, attacking soccer," says striker Joe-Max Moore. "He's letting us take more chances." Despite the obvious improvement, the U.S.S.F. refused to commit to Sampson on a permanent basis.

Then came Copa America. The most astounding victory for the U.S. was its 3-0 thrashing of Argentina in Paysandu, a mere walk across the bridge from Colon, Argentina. Midfielder Frank Klopas, defender Alexi Lalas and attacker Eric Wynalda each scored as goaltender Kasey Keller turned away 21 shots. The Argentines, who have won more Copas than any other country, had elected to play several reserves in order to rest their frontline starters. But still--3-0 to a dead chicken? In the quarterfinals, the U.S. and Mexico fought to a 0-0 tie in regulation, sending the game into a sudden-death shoot-out. Brad Friedel, who alternates with Keller in goal, stopped two of three penalty kicks, and the U.S. shooters converted on all three of theirs.

While the Brazilians paid lip service to the Americans before their semifinal match, most felt the same way that Brazil's TV Globo sportscaster Galvao Bueno did. "This is going to be rout," Bueno told viewers. Indeed, it looked as if he might be right in the 13th minute, when Juninho feathered a free kick from the left side of the penalty area and Aldair broke free to head the ball past Friedel. But Brazil would never score again. And the U.S., which seemed tentative and tired in the first half, picked up the pace in the second. When Brazilian head coach Mario Zagalo was asked in the postgame press conference why his team had played so badly, he replied, "I thought we played very well. The U.S. showed they have some qualities."

The road to respect for the U.S. team is still a long one. "Nobody takes us seriously," said Lalas. "Whenever we beat a team, they fire the coach. But when we lost to Brazil last year, we all thought we had a long way to go. We are still behind them, but much closer than we were before."

Recognition in the U.S. may be even harder to achieve than worldwide respectability. Plans for an American professional league next year still seem like a pipe dream, and players like Lalas and John Harkes and Cobi Jones have far more name recognition outside the 50 states than inside. The Copa America games were telecast to fans in the U.S. only on pay-per-view, and then only on Prime Deportiva, the Spanish-language cable service. "We've spent our entire lives trying to promote the game," says Wynalda, "but nobody pays attention. Until America accepts us as a viable team, we'll just have to keep playing for ourselves."

--Reported by Ian McCluskey/Brasilia

With reporting by IAN MCCLUSKEY/BRASILIA