Memories Mar Soccer Qualifier

Memories of a two-week-old tragedy are part of the baggage the Guatemala soccer team will bring to RFK Stadium for a World Cup qualifying match today against the United States.

The pain and suffering they endure from the deaths of 84 people - killed in a human stampede - at their home stadium, makes the basic goal of victory over the U.S. seem almost irrelevant.

“For a moment, I felt a sense of guilt,” said 23-year-old midfielder Machom Guerra, recalling the night when he and his teammates left the locker room to witness the unthinkable. “At that time, soccer was no longer important because our brothers had died, and there was nothing we could do to help them.”

It was minutes before game time as Guatemala prepared to host Costa Rica on Oct. 16 in Guatemala City. Thousands of angry fans, denied access because the 45,000-seat facility was already filled, surged into the stands and crushed helpless spectators against a fence.

The game was postponed, as was the Guatemalans’ next match against Trinidad and Tobago. Today’s game will be their first since then, and a sizable Guatemalan contingent is expected among the 20,000-plus fans at RFK.

A moment of silence will be held before kickoff. The U.S. Soccer Federation has pledged $25,000 to the Guatemalan relief effort, and the American players are passing the hat to raise as much as $5,000 more.

And then there’s the matter of the game itself, which is important for the U.S. team as it begins the long road to qualifying for the 1998 World Cup finals in France. Coach Steve Sampson has tried to keep his team focused on the immediate task, but says he has no idea what to expect from the Guatemalans.

“Because of the tragedy, I don’t know motivationally how that will affect them,” Sampson said. “I think the first 10-15 minutes of this game is critical.”

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This sidebar appeared with the story: TODAY ON TV The Guatemala-U.S. World Cup qualifier will be on ESPN at 10 a.m.