Stars and gripes: Dispute keeping US off its stages
At least six national teams will be playing matches in California this month. The US, though, will not be among them.
This ironic situation is the result of the American melting pot, with its built-in ethnic support for the game, and a labor problem involving the US Soccer Federation and the players.
The US National Team Soccer Players Association and the USSF, whose deal expired in December 2002, remain at an impasse. Yesterday, the union rejected the USSF's offer to send the dispute to arbitration and proposed that mediation be used in an effort to get the top US players on the field for next month's World Cup qualifier at Trinidad & Tobago.
The US should be preparing for that Feb. 9 visit, the opener of the final round of World Cup 2006 qualifying. Instead, it is the only nation in its six-team group without a scheduled training camp, much less a warmup match. The federation intends to use inexperienced players at Trinidad unless there is an agreement by Feb. 1.
There are many national teams willing to travel here to practice and play against the US, while others in the final qualifying group, such as Panama, must be very resourceful in scheduling games.
South Korea and Sweden had planned to play the US late this month. Instead, they will meet each other in Carson, Calif., and the Swedes will play Mexico in San Diego. Guatemala has never qualified for the World Cup finals and the Chapines are eagerly pursuing the opportunity, setting up training camp in Oxnard, Calif., and scheduling matches against Colombia and Paraguay at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, plus another against Denmark in Miami.
A further incongruity is illustrated by the popular Interliga tournament, which is administered by SUM, Major League Soccer's marketing partner. While MLS teams are taking the winter off, eight Mexican League teams have been playing matches in Arizona, California, and Texas for spots in South America's champions league, the Copa Libertadores.
With the exception of referees, the on-field involvement in the Interliga excludes the US. The event could provide a bridge for Hispanic fans to become involved with MLS, but a more ambitious goal is to eventually include MLS teams, turning the Copa Libertadores into a championship of the Western Hemisphere. Only then will the tournament be able to reach another level of exposure and, potentially, begin to rival the European Champions League.
The surprise team of the Interliga has been the Chiapas club Jaguares, which has defeated Necaxa (4-0) and Toluca (2-1) and lost to America (2-1). Jaguares will meet Chivas de Guadalajara and Tigres will face Toluca tomorrow in Houston. The winners earn Copa berths.
Jaguares play a wide-open game, directed by Paraguayan Salvador Cabanas and Brazilians Sebastiao Didi Pereira and Tiba. Cabanas and Didi scored against Toluca Sunday, the result eliminating America from contention. Toluca's leading scorer, Jose Saturnino Cardozo, missed the match with a rib injury.
Jaguares coach Jose Luis Trejo has revived the club, which made its first division debut two years ago under former Costa Rica national team coach Alexandre Guimaraes.
The Interliga began with controversy as referee Kevin Stott issued a second caution to two Atlante players in the final minutes, both for interfering with the goalkeeper in a 2-1 loss to Tigres. Sebastian "Chamagol" Gonzalez received a four-game suspension after confronting officials following the game. The Atlante players were attempting to capitalize on a rule interpretation that allows challenges to the goalkeeper if he exposes the ball. Another Atlante player cleanly poked the ball away from the Tigres' Rogelio Rodriguez after it left the keeper's hand. Though such challenges are allowed in Mexico, this interpretation seems likely to lead to dangerous play, especially if not clarified.
Together again
The Fernando Clavijo-John Murphy coaching combination is about to be reunited in Denver. Clavijo, named last month to replace Tim Hankinson as head coach of the Colorado Rapids, is expected to name Murphy his top assistant in preparation for the MLS Superdraft Friday in Baltimore.
Clavijo made Murphy his first hire with the Revolution five years ago. Clavijo guided the Revolution to their first .500 regular-season record and first playoff victory. Clavijo was replaced by Steve Nicol in May 2002. Murphy, the Revolution's goalkeeper coach, director of clinics, and main college scout, remained with the team until last season, when he moved to Columbus as the No. 2 assistant.
Murphy, 36, is a Quincy native who coached at Brown University, Massasoit Community College, and Assumption College, and holds coaching licenses through the US Soccer Federation, the English FA, and Scottish FA.
MLS coaches are in Carson for the player combine through tomorrow.
Serie A update
Former MetroStars midfielder Roberto Donadoni rejoined Livorno as coach yesterday, replacing Franco Colomba. Donadoni, a former star for the Italian national team and AC Milan, took over following Livorno's 4-2 loss to Juventus Sunday. Livorno (5-8-5) is tied for 13th place with 20 points in its first season in Serie A since 1949.
Alessandro Del Piero scored the first goal of the game; it was the 166th of his career, fourth on the all-time Juventus list behind Giampiero Boniperti (179), Roberto Bettega (178), and Omar Enrique Sivori (167). Juventus (13-1-4) leads Serie A with 43 points, 4 more than Milan (11-1-6).
Inter (6-0-12) was on the verge of its first defeat of the season, facing a two-goal deficit against Sampdoria after Vitali Kutuzov's 83d-minute goal. Inter supporters jeered coach Roberto Mancini and many began leaving Stadio Giuseppe Meazza as Obafemi Martins entered the match in the 87th minute. Martins quickly sliced a spectacular shot with the outside of his left foot off the inside of the right post to cut the deficit, then set up Christian Vieri to tie the score. Alvaro Recoba gave Inter a 3-2 victory with a dramatic 25-yard blast during injury time.
