Monday, August 10, 1998
Weight of world on Bruin players’ shoulders
UCLA stars power U.S. team during international competition
By Greg Lewis
Daily Bruin Staff
After defeating perennial collegiate soccer power Virginia to
win the NCAA championship last season and entering the upcoming
year ranked No. 1, it’s no wonder the United States Soccer
Federation is keeping the Bruins busy this summer. A total of 10
players and two coaches are representing UCLA and the United States
in prestigious international competition.
Leading the U.S. Under-20 team will be four players from the
1997 NCAA Championship UCLA Soccer Team – Final Four All-Tournament
team selections defender Carlos Bocanegra and forward McKinley
Tennyson Jr., as well as goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder
Shaun Tsakiris.
Also on the U.S. team is incoming freshman Ryan Futagaki, a
midfielder from Fountain Valley, Calif. Joining them will be four
players already under professional contracts in the United States
and nine other college freshmen and sophomores.
The team will be coached by UCLA coaching legend Sigi Schmid and
he will be assisted by UCLA goalkeeper coach and former player,
David Vanole. Team USA has been placed in Group A of the CONCACAF
qualifying tournament in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Only the top two
teams in the group, which also includes Costa Rica, Canada and host
Trinidad and Tobago, will advance to the 1999 FIFA World Youth
Championship, to be held April 3 through 24 in Nigeria.
"From the time this team first met back in January, we’ve always
been focused on the goal of qualifying for the World Youth
Championship," said Head Coach Schmid. "The players have sacrificed
and done everything that I have asked, and I’m confident that it
will pay dividends in Trinidad."
On Wednesday qualifying got underway as the United States faced
off against the speedy Costa Rican team. The Americans took the
lead 1-0 early when Brown University midfielder Cory Gibbs sharply
headed Shaun Tsakiris’ beautiful bending corner kick into the
net.
Goalkeeper Rimando, who made four saves total in the match, kept
the Americans in front by stopping two excellent Costa Rican
chances late in the first half. The United States was later hurt by
Tsakirs ejection after he received a second yellow card of the
match.
Costa Rica played with a one man advantage for the final 55
minutes of the game and finally scored the equalizer with just
seven minutes remaining.
Winston Parks, who had just recently come on the field as a
substitute, dribbled into the right side of the goal area and
slammed a shot that beat Rimando low and to the near post.
Saturday afternoon offered no problems for the U.S. team, as
they defeated the Canadian squad 5-1 in their second qualifying
match.
"I’m very proud how we came out and took charge of the game from
the beginning," said Coach Schmid. "We capitalized on our early
chances, and by doing that it allowed us to impose our play on
Canada."
The Under-20 Teams "older brother," the Under-23 National Team
also has a Blue and Gold feel. UCLA senior midfielder Tom Poltl is,
in the words of his coach, "a tenacious defender and relentless
attacker."
Junior Sasha Victorine is now fully recovered from the knee
injury that sidelined him all of last season and is ready to be the
team leader in the center of the midfield. Pete Vagenas, who
stepped in more than adequately to fill the void left by Victorine,
provides a steadying influence at the midfield spot. Fleet-footed
sophomore Ryan Lee, brother of former Bruin wide-receiver Rodney
Lee, completes the Westwood midfield trifecta by injecting speed
and quickness into the lineup. The glue that holds the UCLA defense
together, senior defender Steve Shack, also hopes to play the same
role for the national squad.
The U.S. Under-23 National Team made strong showing last
Wednesday afternoon, despite losing 3-2 against Liverpool’s reserve
team at the English club’s Melwood Training Ground in Liverpool.
The loss was the first of the year for the team, dropping their
1998 record to 4-1-3.
The U.S. Under-23 National Team made another impressive showing
Saturday afternoon, downing legendary English powerhouse Manchester
United’s reserve team, 4-1 at The Cliff Training Ground in
Manchester.
The Under-23 Team, comprised of players eligible to represent
the U.S. at the 2000 Olympic Games, is in the midst of a 16-day
England tour, where they are training at the grounds of Manchester
United.
The team opened the tour with a strong 1-0 victory over the
Bolton Wanderers reserves on Aug. 1. The United States will play
Manchester United’s reserves on Saturday Aug. 8 and the first team
of lower division Hyde United on Aug. 12.