U.S. Soccer Team Arrives In Style At Copa America

John Harkes will play against Brazil Thursday night in Maldonado, Uruguay, the way he should have played against Brazil at Stanford last summer.

He will have this second chance, along with the rest of the U.S. national team, because the Americans have pulled off a diverting miracle in Copa America, our hemisphere’s biggest soccer event.

The U.S. has reached the semifinals, its longest stay in such a prestigious tournament since the 1930 World Cup. Even more stunning: the Americans deserve to be there. They have been at least the equals of Brazil, Colombia and host Uruguay. After they added Mexico to their list of victims Monday, the American players gathered at their hotel before a TV set and watched the other quarterfinal in their bracket.

They rooted for Brazil. “It was kind of funny, cheering to play the best team in the world,” Harkes said Tuesday, “but we think we have a shot.”

Harkes did not play against Brazil last summer in a second-round match at the World Cup because he had received his second yellow card for delaying play with a misplaced defensive wall. America’s best player, the star midfielder from Kearny, N.J., sat on the bench and watched America’s biggest soccer match.

“It was frustrating, and I never agreed with that referee’s decision,” Harkes said Tuesday. “But I’m through with that.”

Without Harkes, the full-throttle engine in their lineup, the Americans went down respectably on July 4, 1994, but without an ounce of creativity. They lost, 1-0, and Brazil went on to become champion.

“We have a better chance now,” Harkes said. “A lot of guys were young and nervous back then. Now we have patience. We have confidence. We have experience. People are backing off on the ball, giving us space and respect.

“I’m not trying to be cocky here, because Brazil still has the flair and they work hard, which is something people forget. But we are playing well. There’s a rhythm to our play that was missing before.”

Could it be the Americans finally are defining an American soccer style? This group has been chasing such a sense of identity for six years, under three national coaches. With Steve Sampson, still only an interim coach, they seem to have found the compromise between the European and South American style. There is an accent on attacking soccer, and on building play from the midfield.

The Americans have beaten Chile, Argentina and Mexico. They have done this almost in secret because the matches have not been broadcast here. Most news organizations believed this tournament would end in the first round for the U.S. team, as it did in 1993.

This time, however, the Americans sent their “A” team, which is competitive at any international level. The U.S. is not deep with quality players, but its best team can beat any nation that fields less than its best team. This happened against Argentina, which badly misjudged the Americans, resting several players early in falling behind 2-0 halfway through a 3-0 loss.The U.S. led 2-0 at the half. Passarella panicked and brought back the regulars. The final was 3-0.

“Argentina learned the hard way,” Harkes said, “and no matter how you look at it, we still beat their best in the second half, 1-nil.”

Sabotaged by the loss, Argentina was forced to play Brazil. The Brazilians are without Romario and Bebeto, but they still beat Argentina on penalty kicks.

The U.S., flagging badly, tied Mexico 0-0, then won on penalty kicks, 4-1. Brad Friedel, the team’s second-best goalkeeper, made a couple of correct guesses on the penalties - to the right side - after consulting teammates who had played in the Mexican league.

This generation of players - which includes relative old-timers like Harkes, Tab Ramos, Frank Klopas, Eric Wynalda, Paul Caligiuri and Marcelo Balboa - is peaking. You just hope the team can hang together through the 1997 CONCACAF region qualifying and then the 1998 World Cup in France.

“Don’t worry,” said Harkes. “I’m a young 28.”

Tonight, in Maldonado, Harkes will age a few soccer years when the Brazilians take the field. It is never a bad thing to play Brazil. Usually, it means that you are playing an important match.