Yanks Profit From Nothing Americans Capture U.S. Cup ‘95 Title Following 0-0 Tie Against Columbia

One year later, the drama was gone, but the success remained.

The United States played a boring scoreless soccer tie against Colombia on Sunday, but it was enough to win the U.S. Cup ‘95 tournament following victories against Nigeria and Mexico.

On June 22, 1994, the Americans beat the Colombians 2-1 before 93,194 screaming fans in the Rose Bowl to virtually clinch a second-round spot in the World Cup.

“A lot of people thought last year’s game was a fluke,” U.S. interim coach Steve Sampsen said. “We wanted to show it wasn’t.”

Colombian soccer fans were angered when their team was eliminated in the first round of the World Cup. Ten days later, defender Andres Escobar, who accidentally kicked the ball into his own net against the Americans, was killed in Medellin by a Colombian fan.

Many Colombia players wore a black patch on their left shoulders during Sunday’s game.

“We always have Andres present on our team,” Colombia coach Hernan Dario Gomez said. “But the World Cup is history and we have to live in the present tense.”

Colombia began the game with only three of its World Cup starters and was missing its two best players, forwards Faustino Asprilla and Adolfo Valencia. The 36,126 fans at Rutgers Stadium were mostly behind the Colombians, who had the better of the play and finished the tournament 1-0-2.

“Finally, we’re starting to arrive and get the respect of the other national teams,” U.S. midfielder John Harkes said. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s been a lot of hard work.”

Goalkeeper Brad Friedel made several good saves for the Americans, and defender Mike Burns headed away Jorge Bermudez’s shot that was headed toward the net in the final minute. The Americans kept most of their players back during the second half.

“I consider this a win today,” Friedel said.

Rene Higuita, playing just his second game in goal for Colombia since a jail stay in early 1994, had only one tough test, stopping a shot by Claudio Reyna in the final minute of the first half.

This tournament was the major soccer event of the year in the United States, and averaged 26,689 fans per game. That was nearly half the 47,794 average for the U.S. Cup ‘93 tournament, but that field included traditional soccer powers Brazil, England and Germany.

With the U.S. not due to start World Cup qualifying until September 1996, the Americans are relaxed, playing with an attacking style. Their next test is next month in Uruguay in the America Cup, South America’s championship.

Notes

U.S. defender Alexi Lalas agreed to a multiyear contract with Major League Soccer for the 1996 season. He will join an MLS team, to be determined, next May. He will return to Padova for the 1995-96 Italian League season, which ends May 12. … Mexico was 1-1-1 and Nigeria was 0-3-0 in the tournament. … On an overcast afternoon, security prevented fans from bringing umbrellas into Rutgers Stadium. It took some fans 90 minutes to get from the highway exit into the stadium parking lots.