SOCCER : U.S. Team to Play in L.A. Benefit
The U.S. national soccer team will compete in a four-team international tournament tonight and Sunday at the Coliseum, an exhibition billed as the “L.A. Friendship Cup†to benefit Rebuild L.A.
Sponsors and officials have said they will donate $1 of each ticket sold toward the rebuilding effort of the areas damaged by the L.A. riots. Meanwhile, the teams, which are testing young players and have several others playing professionally in Europe, will have undergone a very different rebuilding process of sorts for future 1994 World Cup “warm-ups.â€
The United States, which will play Colombia tonight at 6:30 and Brazil on Sunday at 6:30, will have only one of its European-based players, defender Thomas Dooley. The team will be without forwards Roy Wegerle and Ernie Stewart, and midfielders John Harkes and Tab Ramos.
Midfielder Paul Caligiuri, 28, the former UCLA star who scored the goal that gave the United States the 1-0 victory over Trinidad and Tobago to put the team into the 1990 World Cup, will not play because of a stress fracture in his right knee. Forward Eric Wynalda has been loaned to a German professional team and Chris Henderson and Zak Isben are with the Olympic team in Barcelona.
Among key players who will be on hand for the United States are Dooley, forwards Hugo Perez and Peter Vermes, defenders Marcelo Balboa, Bruce Savage and John Doyle, and goalkeeper Tony Meola.
Brazil, which will play Mexico at 9 tonight, will be missing all of its European-based stars. Its roster does include stars Junior, a veteran of the 1986 World Cup, Bebeto and Rai. Brazil, favored to win both of its matches, beat the United States last February in Brazil, 3-0.
Mexico, which will play against Colombia at 4 p.m. Sunday, will be without Hugo Sanchez, who has returned home and reportedly will be playing with his club team in Texas.
