By Jay Mwamba
U.S. coach Bruce Arena left Seattle’s Safeco Field a happy man last Saturday after his home-based squad wiped out CONCACAF rivals Honduras 4-0 in a World Cup tune up.
Midfield bruiser Clint Mathis and 19-year-old forward Landon Donovan both had two goals in the one-sided encounter.
“We’re playing well, and when we get everybody healthy and on the field at the same time and together for an extended period of time, we can be a dangerous team,” Arena said.
The coach spoke highly of goalie Kasey Keller, who got the better of Honduran forward Saul Martinez in the visitors’ only decent scoring opportunity, in the 28th minute.
“Even though it appeared to be an easy game, I think the save Keller made was a big one,” Arena said. “He did another outstanding job and continues to challenge to be the number one goalkeeper for the World Cup.”
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Next up for Team USA is Ecuador in Birmingham, Ala., this Sunday.
Romario talks
Controversial Brazilian ace Romario, the subject of a fierce debate in his country on whether he should be called to the national team, has written off Brazil’s chances in Japan/Korea ’02.
“Brazil have no chance of winning the world championship for the fifth time,” the USA ’94 star told reporters last week. “The French and Argentinean national teams are stronger than Brazil because they don’t change their squads.”
On national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who refuses to pick him despite his hot-scoring form in the local league: “Scolari is an excellent coach,” Romario said. “He can become the best coach in the world if he invites me for the 2002 World Cup.”
Booze compromise
Beer will flow at Japan/Korea ’02, albeit in spurts.
In a compromise with organizers, who wanted a total ban on alcohol at stadiums, FIFA announced last week that they had reached an agreement allowing one person to buy one cup of beer at one time. Beer will be on sale only in paper or plastic cups from 90 minutes before the start of a match and the end of halftime.
A fan would be able to buy several cups of beer if he or she goes to buy each of them separately, a Japanese official said. But those considered intoxicated will not be served.
Japanese organizers were hoping to prohibit the sale of beer at the 10 World Cup stadiums, against the wishes of their Korean compatriots and FIFA, who have solicited American brewing giant Anheuser-Busch, the maker of Budweiser, as one of the 11 worldwide sponsors of the 2002 finals.
Black book
The World Cup Organizing Committee in Seoul has published the names of Europe’s 3,226 most notorious football hooligans, who will be banned from entering both Japan and South Korea for the finals.
South Korea’s Justice Minister Jeong-ho said the list was compiled with the help of police agencies in Europe.