Conference trucks::football;1

    	Andrew, did you see me in the fourth row right behind this USA
    	bench?  That was me with my face in the camera after the Reyna
    	goal.  This was really a great match to watch and it's good
    	to see the US team so attack-minded.  I've been following the
    	US team quite closely since the 1993 US Cup (being at the 
    	US-England match) and as mentioned, the US lineup has not 
    	changed much over that time and the players are clearly benefitting 
    	from playing together.  There was a discussion a few notes ago
    	about the lack of passion in and for international friendlies,
    	but that we certainly not the case here - both teams came to play.
    
    Ken Roberts
    LKG's Most (In)famous Welshman
    (twice removed)
    
    P.S. But then again, I've been removed from better places that this!

Mexico 1 - 0 Bolivia at Dallas, TX
Scoreless tie with Mexico carrying the edge in play 
until Bolivia misplaced a pass just outside their 
penalty area with ten minutes left.  Garcia did not 
waste the chance.

USA 2 - 1 Ireland at Foxboro, Massachusetts
Great wrestling match between Lalas and Quinn.  I'd say 
Lalas had the better of it.  Very quiet first half 
with only two shots on goal by the US and none by Ireland. 
Exciting second half.  Ireland scored first on a quick 
counter attack after a US corner (Lalas moves up on corners).  
Ramos' goal was a beauty.  The second US goal, by Reyna, 
was the result of a well-timed cross by Wynalda.  John 
Harkes and an Irish attacker banged heads diving for a 
corner kick to end the game.  Both were slow to get up.  
The Irish supporters sitting behind me seemed satisfied 
with the play of their young team.  The US team started 
with a 3-5-2 line-up which they scrapped at half-time for 
their old 4-4-2.  The 3-5-2 might work if they replaced 
Jeff Agoos on defense (maybe Robin Fraser, playing for 
the LA Galaxy).  Kirovski and Roy Lassiter came on with 
15 minutes left, replacing Ramos and Reyna.  Lassiter 
looked the better.  Disappointing 25,336 attendance for 
a Sunday afternoon (last Thursday night the Rev-Galaxy 
match drew over 20,000).

Viva la Revolution,
-nat

     The Republic of Ireland are threatening to pull out of future U-S 
     Cup competitions, following the bizarre events surrounding their 
     2-all draw with Mexico in the tournament last night. 
      
     The American referee, Raul Dominguez, sent off 3 members of the 
     Irish team - only one of whom actually playing. 
      
     That was Liam Daish, banished after the Mexican team seemed to force 
     the ref into showing a second yellow card for time wasting. 
      
     Substitute Niall Quinn reacted angrily, grabbing a Mexican player - 
     and off he went.  
      
     He was then joined by manager Mick McCarthy, who threw the ball into 
     the crowd. 
      
     American referee Raul Dominguez also awarded a penalty to Mexico - 
     for their equaliser - and at the end of the game embraced Mexican 
     supporters and presented them with the match ball. 
      

    
    Re-1 .. Is he a cousin of Mr Paisley ????
    
    Pj   

     >The American referee, Raul Dominguez, 
    
    Sounds like a good Irish-American name to me ;-)
                    
    Dom

I take it "Keano" wasn't there.


Stuart

The ref obviously isn't as Impartial as someone I know 

It would have been nice to have a ref who penalized 
players for time wasting in the middle of the US-Bolivia 
match.  Bolivia scored in the first 2 minutes on a 
counterattack after a US corner kick (yes, again!).  
Bolivia then stalled at every opportunity, playing with 
10 back and never pressuring beyond midfield.  They stood 
in front of every free-kick.  The ref issued 1 caution to 
a Bolivian player.  It continued to happen repeatedly, 
resulting in a caution to a US player (Ramos?) for 
complaining.  

A US goal was nullified for either dangerous play or 
off-side.  Bolivia's final tally occured after Balboa 
dummied a ball to his 'keeper - but Friedel was further 
away than he thought.  Oops, 2-0 with two minutes to go.

The US squad did a lot of yelling at each other, the ref 
and the ref ass.  The referee was not fit enough for a 
match at this level, but it probably did not matter.  The 
US needs somebody else on defense in place of Jeff Agoos, 
period.  And they need to remember that somebody needs to 
cover for Lalas when he goes up for a corner or free kick.  
Jovan Kirovski started, but failed to impress, being replced 
by Dooley in the second half after a particularly bad pass, 
accompanied by a pleading look from Wynalda to Sampson.

Standings  W L D PTS GF GA
Mexico     1 0 1  4   3  2
Bolivia    1 1 0  3   2  1
USA        1 1 0  3   2  3
Ireland    0 1 1  1   3  4

Saturday, a depleted Ireland squad takes on Bolivia.  
Sunday, the Yanks play Mexico.

    well even without Connolly who'd scored all their goals so far the
    Irish comfortably beat Bolivia 3-0. they were actually 3-0 up at
    half-time with two of their goals coming from
    O'Neill of Norwich. the second half was fairly tepid though it did
    provide yet another sighting of the mythical kennedy of Liverpool who
    must have played more first team football this past week than all
    season. 
    
    regards
    
    andrew.d.wicks

    Did Harte play at the back for Ireland.. how did he do??
    
    Cheers,
    
    	Rick.

    In one of the more bizarre games i've seen in a long time the U.S
    and Mexico drew 2-2.
    
    3 of the 4 goals were scored in injury time. mexico equalising with
    a free kick in injury time at the end of the first and then taking the
    lead in injury time at the end of the game only to see the u.S equalise
    two minutes later on about 94 mins. 
    
    the game was extremely bad tempered with elbows being used, punches
    thrown and a good bit of pushing, shoving and scuffling that at one
    time I though I was watching boxing on ESPN not footie on ABC.
    how 22 players remained on the field is a mystery to me.
    
    The u.s had made one change from previous teams with caliguiri
    replacing Agoos at full-back so once again we were seeing the 94 world
    cup team largely intact whilst Mexico like Ireland were fielding an
    extremely new and young side.
    
    In fact Mexico should have buried the U.S in the first half they had
    so many chances and one extremely bad miss where a midfield player with
    an enpty goal fell over the ball on the penalty spot {Andy Cole
    sightings continue?} and of course the U.S took the lead though wynalda
    - I'm a little surprised that he appears to be the only striker that the
    U.S has these days. 
    
    the second half was rather tepid - wynalda left with an injury to be 
    replaced by a new player mcbride {the 3rd different other striker the
    U.S has tried} and sorber appeared for the first time this year towards
    the end. Friedel had a great game in goal but the rest of the U.S team
    looked ordinary and short of ideas - could this be the end of the team
    that has done so well the last 6 years.
    
    attendance was a mere 95,000!
    
    Regards
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    re .10 (rick)
    
    don't remember for sure if Harte played but if I remember i'll check
    the web Page which should list the team tomorrow - it was a very young
    team and missing quinn, Connolly and someone else through suspension
    there was only Phelan and Kernaghan that I was familar with. There was
    a player called Savage and another called Moore that i remember playing
    quite well but I don't remember Harte - I assume he's a leeds player?
    
    Bonner appeared for the last five minutes but the young goalie from
    Blackburn certainly impressed me.
    
    apart from the fiasco of the referee against Mexico I assume that the
    Irish will be pleased with this trip though they will probably need
    a little more experience in midfield (keane?) for the WC qualifying
    but both young strikers Connolly and O'neill have got have impressed
    with two goals each on the trip.
    
    regards                          
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

With their win, draw, and better goal differential, Ireland 
takes second in the USA Cup '96.  Mexico first with 2 wins 
and a draw, and the host third, matching Ireland's record 
while conceding too many goals (it was good to see Agoos gone, 
but Caligiuri is probably slower and got burned for the second 
Mexican goal).  Bolivia took one win.

IMHO, lower quality of refereeing than I would have expected 
throughout the tournament.  I guess refs have to practice 
somewhere, but do they have to do it on national TV?

The 95,000 in LA were treated to two matches.  After the US-
Mexico match the LA Galaxy (10-0) took on the East leaders, 
Tampa Bay Mutiny, coming from behind to draw 2-2 and win the 
resulting crap shoot - oops, shoot-out - 4-2.  Jorge Campos 
played goal in the first half and forward in the second, after 
playing goal for Mexico earlier.

Viva la Revolution,
-nat

    The US appears to me to be a good three players short of a world class
    side.  They need a steady outside defender, a creative young midfielder
    and someone up front who can put the ball in the net.
    
    I would certainly like to see Roy Lassiter get a chance at forward for
    the US squad, or maybe even AJ Wood.  It's seems clear to me that there
    is no one the least bit threatening besides Wynalda.  Cobi Jones
    wouldn't even be on this team if he sported a crewcut, and Dooley is
    older than dirt and moves slower than traffic at rush hour.  
    
    NAZZ

    NAZZ
    
    what surprises me as an outsider - even though i've been watching the
    U.S for 6 years now - is that they failed to use this tournament to blood
    any new players. They started each game with 7 or 8 of the world cup
    team and with the exception of Reyna who missed the WC due to injury
    all 13 other players they started were in the WC squad. With qualifying
    for 98 starting in August this team is ageing awful fast.
    
    Regards
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    re .10 (rick)
    
    harte played and got the other goal - he was in midfield.
    
    regards
    
    Andrew.D.Wicks

    Cheers Andrew.....
    
    He's supposed to be a striker.. but like his cousin Gary Kelly, he's
    been played in defence by Leeds.
    
    Cheers,
    
    Rick. 

    Rick,
    Are you implying that G.Kelly should be in a striking role? What about
    poor Brian Deane?
    
    
    			Stretch.

    >Are you implying that G.Kelly should be in a striking role?
    
    Well Stretch.. Gary Kelly was originally a striker... but we found that
    he was better as a defender and the rest is history as they say....
    
    Cheers,
    
    	Rick

    >> Gary Kelly was originally a striker
    
    I saw him put a couple away last season.......
    
    In his own net!!!!
    
    
    
    				Stretch.