U.S. Set For Duel In Portland

The winner of Sunday’s qualifying round soccer match between the United States and Costa Rica will automatically become a favorite to advance to next year’s World Cup in France.

The loser will find itself with a narrowing margin for error as the final few qualifying matches approach.

If the Americans win, they likely would need just four more points, with four matches remaining, to earn a spot among the 32 World Cup qualifiers. Each victory is worth three points, and a tie is worth one.

A Costa Rican victory would boost that country into a tie for first place with Mexico in the qualifying round for Central, North American and Caribbean countries.

With three matches remaining, Costa Rica would be virtually assured a trip to France.

The top three teams in the qualifying round advance to the World Cup. A loss would not ruin U.S. chances, especially with home matches remaining against Jamaica and El Salvador and a road match against Canada in Vancouver.

“Even though this game is extremely important, it’s not life or death,” U.S. coach Steve Sampson said. “However, I’ve asked the team to treat it as such. You would still have four matches remaining, if the worst scenario happened, to get the six or seven points that I think we need to qualify for France.”

But a loss in front of what promises to be a boisterous sellout crowd of 35,000 at Portland’s Civic Stadium could be devastating for U.S. morale. The United States is 4-0-1 in World up qualifying for 1998, but the Americans have not been as good at home as they would like.

“We are undefeated at home, but we all now we can play better and dominate,” Sampson said.

Sampson insists he feels no great pressure and is pleased that U.S. soccer fans believe the United States should be a cinch to qualify.