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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 6, 2002)
i Sports The Battalion Page 5 • Thursday, June 6, 2002 United States shocks Portugal in opener, 3-2 Ireland’s last-minute goal secures tie with Germany YOKOHAMA, Japan (AP) — The U.S. team wasted no time rebounding from the bot tom of the soccer world. The Americans scored in the fourth minute, led 3-0 by the 36th and held on for a stun ning 3-2 victory over Portugal in the World Cup opener for both ted^ms Wednesday. “We came out quick,” said Brian McBride, who scored the winner with a powerful header. “The{/ are a very good team, so we ^)ut the pressure on them. We took advantage of our chances and when they came on strong, we held them off.” Portugal is ranked fifth in the world. The Americans were the worst team at the (998 World Cup, and did not have offensive standouts Claudio Reyna and Clint Mathis, both injured, on Wednesday. But from the beginning at Suwon, South Korea, the U.S. team was the aggressor. With John O’Brien’s early goal, they already had matched their scoring total in '98, when they lost all three first-round games, bickering all the way. They did not stop producing after O’Brien left-footed in a rebound from close range. In the 29th minute, a shot by Landon Donovan deflected in off a defender. Then McBride converted a cross from Tony Sanneh, and even the Americans were mar veling at their lead. “I think Portugal was the same way,” said O’Brien, one of six American starters mak ing their World Cup debuts. Portugal quickly got one back, then got a second-half own goal when defender Jeff Agoos deflected a cross past We took advan tage of our chances and when they came on strong, we held them off. — Brian McBride U.S. forward goalkeeper Brad Friedel. But the Portuguese ran out of gas and the folks back home who stayed up late or got up early to watch on television — the game began at 5 a.m. EDT — were rewarded. “I think this victory will grab the attention of a lot of people in the United States,” said U.S. coach Bruce Arena. Ireland grabbed some attention, too, with its last- minute goal for a 1-1 tie with Germany. The Germans seemed set to be the first team to advance to the second round, but Robbie Keane knocked home a backheaded pass from Niall Quinn after a long pass from Steve Finnan. Keane celebrated with cart wheels as hundreds of Ireland fans cheered wildly in the stands at Ibaraki, Japan. Ireland coach Mick McCarthy said, “We threw men forward and it paid off. I think we were the better side. The stats will back it up. We were the better team.” They certainly were the happier team. “I’m extremely angry and disappointed. When you’re 1-0 up with one minute to go and concede a goal, it hurts,” said German coach Rudi Voeller. Russia beat Tunisia 2-0 at Kobe, Japan, getting goals five minutes apart by Egor Titov and Valery Karpin, the second on a penalty kick. The two Americans and one Russian aboard the inter national space station were informed promptly of their teams’ victories. “During the radio commu nication sessions, flight con trollers told the crew of all the latest developments. And since the crew is made up of real soccer fans, the news was received more than happily,” said Viktor Blagov, deputy director of Russian Mission. Brazil’s Rivaldo was fined $7,000 for faking an injury in the late stages of his team’s opening 2-1 victory over Turkey. FIFA cracked down on Rivaldo under its “simula tion” rule — pretending to have been fouled. “I wasn’t worried about suspension,” Rivaldo said. “I was the injured party. I don’t even know why I was fined. “In soccer, you have to be sly. It happens a lot and it will happen a lot in this World Cup,” he said. In the latest effort to make it easier for fans to obtain tickets and boost attendance at first- round games, FIFA has decid ed to allow telephone sales. Tickets returned after over seas fans were being offered on the Internet, but high demand was swamping FIFA’s Web site. Half the tickets still available for games in Japan and South Korea will be sold by telephone. In phone sales for two games Wednesday and one Thursday in Japan, thou sands of tickets were snapped up in minutes. Slovenia coach Srecko Katanec said Wednesday he would resign at the end of his teams’ World Cup campaign following an argument with star player Zlatko Zahovic. “Katanec has decided that he wilf remain at the helm of the national team only until the team is eliminated, and then resign,” Slovenia Soccer Federation president Rudi Zavrl said. W O R Diagrams of the U.S. win over Portugal The United States gave the soccer world a wakeup call Wednesday with a shocking 3-2 upset of Portugal, the world’s fifth-ranked team. Here’s how the U.S. team scored its goals. First goal SOURCE - . Associated Press Despite upset, there is still a long way to go for U.S. 2002 WORLD CUP STANDINGS Next games - Thursday, June 6 Senegal vs. Denmark in Daegu, South Korea France vs. Uruguay in Busan, South Korea Saudi Arabia vs. Cameroon in Saitama, Japan Group A W L T GF GA Pts Group E W L T GF GA Pts Denmark 1 0 0 2 1 3 Germany 1 0 1 9 1 4 Senegal 1 0 0 1 0 3 Ireland 0 0 2 2 2 2 Uruguay 0 1 0 1 2 0 Cameroon 0 0 1 1 1 1 France 0 1 0 0 1 0 Saudi Arabia 0 1 0 0 8 0 Group 8 w L T GF GA Pts Group F W L T GF GA Pts Spain 1 0 0 3 1 3 Argentina 1 0 0 1 0 3 Paraguay 0 0 1 2 2 1 England 0 0 1 1 1 1 South Africa 0 0 1 2 2 1 Sweden 0 0 1 1 1 1 Slovenia 0 1 0 1 3 0 Nigeria 0 1 0 0 1 0 Group C w L T GF GA Pts Group G W L T GF GA Pts Costa Rica 1 0 0 2 0 3 Italy 1 0 0 2 0 3 Brazil 1 0 0 2 1 3 Mexico 1 0 0 1 0 3 Turkey 0 1 0 1 2 0 Croatia 0 1 0 0 1 0 China 0 1 0 0 2 0 Ecuador 0 1 0 0 2 0 Group D w L T GF GA Pts Group H w L T GF GA Pts South Korea 1 0 0 2 0 3 Russia 1 0 0 2 0 3 United States 1 0 0 3 2 3 Belgium 0 0 1 2 2 1 Portugal 0 1 0 2 3 0 Japan 0 0 1 2 2 1 Poland 0 1 0 0 2 0 Tunisia 0 1 0 0 2 0 By Jim Litke THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Right around the time of the World Cup, Americans emerge from a four-year slumber and want to know why their team is still not a soccer power. United States 3, Portugal 2 will make the question a little tougher to answer. The players, coaches and offi cials involved in U.S. Soccer were flattered by the attention from a nation awakening back home Wednesday morning to one of the most stunning upsets in World Cup history. But they are tired of covering the same ground. They wish their countrymen were paying attention in the meantime, when it is easier to chart the incremental progress, instead of looking in only during final exams. They wish they had a tradition to refer to, a shared past to celebrate, instead of always having to build a new one. “You never want to make too much of one win and we still have two more games to play in this round,” said Robert Contiguglia, the U.S. Soccer Federation presi dent, during a late-night phone call Wednesday from a hotel in Seoul, South Korea. “But we knew we had a good team, good enough to play with anybody. And so the wonderful thing about this,” he added, “is that we’ve proved it now to everybody else.” Even though it’s tempting, the fate of soccer in America should not be linked to the fate of the U.S. soccer team in this World Cup. Success or failure in a hand ful of matches won’t change the fundamental attitudes about soc cer in America. At least not any time soon. The U.S. team got waxed four years ago — finishing last among the 32 teams that reached the finals — and barely anybody noticed. The team could pull off a “Miracle on Grass” this time, advance further through the draw than even its biggest boosters dare dream, and draw only a slightly larger audience. Kids in some cities and most suburbs will continue playing See Progress on page 6 Astros Field becomes Minute Maid Park HOUSTON (AP) Punctuated by fireworks and a locomotive steaming across its outfield track carting oranges, Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane re-christened the Astros’ stadium Minute Maid Park Wednesday. The Minute Maid Co. is based in Houston and since 1960 has been a subsidiary of The Coca- Cola Co. “They are a very stable compa ny and this was a big part of our decision,” McLane said. “They have the values and commitment to the public but they also have great fiftancial security.” McLane said the deal was for 28 years for a price exceeding $ 100 million. The Astros’ new stadium opened in 2000 as Enron Field but McLane bought out the 30-year, $100 million naming rights deal in February and quickly removed hundreds of signs bearing the failed energy trading giant’s name. Since buying out Enron, the stadium had been called Astros Field. New signage will go up quick ly. The Astros begin a six-game home stand Monday starting with the Chicago Cubs, and McLane said temporary signage would be in place. “To do it the way it should be done will take some time, but I expect we’ll have the new signage in place in about two months,” McLane said. The stadium is built on the site of the old Union Station train depot and the Astros kept that theme in constructing the stadium, including a replica locomotive that tooted out a welcome to the new See Astros on page 6 STUDENT COUNSELING SERVICE Texas A&M University Groups for Summer 2002 at the Student Counseling Service Part of the Division of Student Affairs Henderson Hall 979-845-4427 www.scs.tamu.edu Texas A&M University has a strong insti tutional commitment to the principle of diversity in all areas. In that spirit, admission to Texas A&M University and any of its sponsored programs is open to all qualified individuals without regard to any subgroup classification or stereotype. Gender in Relationships Mondays 4:30- 6:00 PM This group is for students who are currently or previously in romantic relationships. The purpose is to explore and un derstand how gender and socialization affect close relation ships. Eating Concerns & Body Image Issues Group Mondays 4:00 - 5:30 PM Provides information and support for those trying to overcome an eating disorder. Discuss topics related to eating concerns such as the development of trusting relationships, expression of feelings, and management of stress. (An individual meeting with a group leader prior to attendance at group is required.) Facilitator: Amanda Samson & Bai-Yin Chen Facilitators: Lori Tagger & Tom Burdenski Anxiety Group Tuesdays 3:00 - 4:30 PM An interpersonal group for students who suffer from general or social anxieties. Students will work on the impact of anxieties in their lives, as well as explore the interpersonal meanings of anxiety symptoms. Facilitator: Carlos Orozco & Jeanne Bulgin Su Bipolar Group Tuesdays 3:30— 4:30 Provides support and information to students diagnosed with a bipolar dis order. Group meets weekly and is led by a psychiatrist. Potential topics in clude diagnosis, symptoms, medica tions, and lifestyle issues/relapse pre vention. Facilitator: Nancy Stebbins Dissertation/Thesis Support Group Wednesdays 5:00 - 6:30 PM This group is for graduate students struggling with the process of writing a thesis or dissertation. Group topics include issues of competence, pro crastination, anxiety, goal-setting, and bureau cratic struggles. Facilitator: Brian Williams & Lori Tagger s 2002 Biofeedback Workshop Tuesdays Non-Traditional Women’s Group Tuesdays 5:00 - 6:30 PM For women 23+ allows each member to enter the group with her own unique issues, within a group context. Helps individuals who are wanting to develop healthier ways of dealing with the stress of school, work, relationships, personal problems and family issues. Facilitators: Amanda Samson & Carla Hilland 4:00—6:00 PM One-session workshops that give an introduction to relaxation techniques, including how biofeedback aids in relaxation. Indi vidual follow-up consultation is available. Interpersonal Growth & Exploration Group Tuesdays 3:30 - 5:00 PM This psychotherapy group is for students desiring to live more au thentically with themselves and relate more genuinely with others. Explore self-limiting life patterns and share with others through honest self-disclosure in a safe, supportive atmosphere. Facilitators: Ron Lutz & Tom Burdenski Facilitator: Steve Wilson