PAN AMERICAN GAMES : Surprising U.S. Beats Mexico, 2-1 : Soccer: Overtime victory gives Americans gold and respect.
HAVANA — For the second time in two months it seems as if the rise of U.S. soccer has come at the expense of Mexico.
The U.S. team--young and overlooked in this tournament--upset Mexico, 2-1, in overtime Tuesday night to win the country’s first Pan American Games’ soccer gold medal. The U.S. won a bronze medal at the Pan Ams in 1959, but nothing since then.
The victory was all the more significant because it was over Mexico, an amateur soccer powerhouse. The U.S. national team created a sensation when it upset Mexico, 2-0, last month in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at Los Angeles. So humiliating was that loss for the Mexicans that the team’s coach, Manuel Lapuente, resigned the next day.
Tuesday’s win was only the fourth against Mexico since the countries began playing in 1934.
The game was marred by a melee which broke out after time ran out. The players were exchanging jerseys, when players from both teams began pushing each other. While officials streamed on the field to restore order, U.S. reserve goalkeeper Kasey Keller was punched in the face and had to be attended to by the U.S. medical staff.
Keller said the incident began when he attempted to help teammate Yari Allnutt, of Huntington Beach, who Keller said was being pushed by Mexican players. Keller said he ran into two Mexican players, knocking them down as he ran. He said he was punched in the stomach by someone and that a Mexican player, Agustin Valdez, hit him in the face.
Valdez was not available for comment.
“The Mexicans threw the first punch,” winning goalkeeper Brad Friedel said. “I’m not just saying that because I’m an American. I don’t think they liked losing to us.”
Indeed not. The eight-team tournament was considered Mexico’s to lose as almost all of South America’s soccer giants stayed home. Brazil and Argentina, who have each won this tournament four times, chose not to send teams. Even given the weakness of the field, the U.S. team was a longshot to win.
“I expected to be in the final, but we would have been happy with the silver medal,” U.S. Coach Lothar Osiander said.
Osiander, who was the 1988 U.S. Olympic coach, said the win was a strong message that U.S. soccer was improving, especially within the region. Only two countries emerge from the CONCACAF (Confederation of North and Central American and Caribbean Assn. Football) region to earn berths in the 1992 Olympics.
This team is the core for the 1992 Olympic team and their performance here bodes well for Barcelona. Friedel, the starting goalkeeper on UCLA’s 1990 national championship team was impressive, especially in the 30-minute overtime.
Mexico scored first, on a header by Salvador Mariscal in the 16th minute. The crowd at the half-full Pedro Marrero Stadium betrayed its allegiance to Mexico when the goal was scored, cheering and singing.
The U.S. scored in the 33rd minute on a goal by Claudio Reyna of Springfield, N.J. The Mexican defender fell down and a second defender got screened by a U.S. player, allowing Reyna to score on a hard right-footed shot.
Reyna left the game before the end of the half after being taken down from behind by a Mexican player and injured his right ankle.
Reyna’s replacement ended up scoring the winning goal. Joe-Max Moore of Irvine scored on a free kick two minutes into the overtime.
Manny Lagos of the U.S. was fouled and Moore took the free kick from just outside the penalty box. Moore lofted the ball high and the Mexican goalkeeper, Sergo Bernal, tipped the ball with his right hand into the net.
The U.S. sat on the lead after that, rarely challenging the ball. With most of Mexico’s team in the U.S. half and attacking the net, Friedel made three brilliant saves under intense pressure.
