Tuesday, February 10, 2004
SignOnSanDiego.com > Sports -- Mexican fans fired up for soccer rematch with U.S.: "Mexican fans fired up for soccer rematch with U.S.
By Mark Zeigler
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
February 10, 2004
Associated Press
U.S. player Alecko Eskandarian controls the ball during a training session near the Galeria Stadium in Guadalajara City, Mexico. When members of the U.S. men's soccer team arrived in Guadalajara ahead of the region's Olympic qualifying tournament, they were bombarded with questions from Mexican media about whether they were on a revenge mission.
When members of the U.S. men's soccer team arrived in Guadalajara ahead of the region's Olympic qualifying tournament, they were bombarded with questions from Mexican media about whether they were on a revenge mission.
U.S. players: For what?
Mexican media: For baseball, of course.
Mexico, in case you weren't paying attention (and the U.S. soccer players apparently weren't), beat the United States 2-1 in November to eliminate it from the region's qualifying tournament for the Athens Olympics. Now the Americans get a chance to eliminate Mexico from its pastime when they meet in a winner-take-all match tonight for a trip to Greece.
But if revancha is in play at 60,000-seat Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, figure it will be wearing red, white and green.
Two summers ago, the United States and Mexico played in the second round of the World Cup in South Korea, and the 2-0 U.S. victory was seen as a demoralizing setback on many levels in Mexico, athletic and otherwise. The Yanks were already better in so many things; now they were better in soccer, too.
Mexican fans have been waiting, with a mix of hope and dread, for a meaningful shot at revancha.
By Mark Zeigler
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
February 10, 2004
Associated Press
U.S. player Alecko Eskandarian controls the ball during a training session near the Galeria Stadium in Guadalajara City, Mexico. When members of the U.S. men's soccer team arrived in Guadalajara ahead of the region's Olympic qualifying tournament, they were bombarded with questions from Mexican media about whether they were on a revenge mission.
When members of the U.S. men's soccer team arrived in Guadalajara ahead of the region's Olympic qualifying tournament, they were bombarded with questions from Mexican media about whether they were on a revenge mission.
U.S. players: For what?
Mexican media: For baseball, of course.
Mexico, in case you weren't paying attention (and the U.S. soccer players apparently weren't), beat the United States 2-1 in November to eliminate it from the region's qualifying tournament for the Athens Olympics. Now the Americans get a chance to eliminate Mexico from its pastime when they meet in a winner-take-all match tonight for a trip to Greece.
But if revancha is in play at 60,000-seat Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, figure it will be wearing red, white and green.
Two summers ago, the United States and Mexico played in the second round of the World Cup in South Korea, and the 2-0 U.S. victory was seen as a demoralizing setback on many levels in Mexico, athletic and otherwise. The Yanks were already better in so many things; now they were better in soccer, too.
Mexican fans have been waiting, with a mix of hope and dread, for a meaningful shot at revancha.
