Group F | Cup Highlights  | Results | Roster | Road to France | Facts and Figures

Loss to Yugoslavia Leaves U.S. With Nothing

File Photo

Yugoslavia's Slobodan Komljenovic scored the game's only goal after four minutes as Yugoslavia defeated Brian Maisonneuve (No. 19) and the United States, 1-0, in the final Group F match of the World Cup for the Americans. Coach Steve Sampson went back to the 3-6-1 formation but the United States could not muster any solid offensive chances. Said Forward Eric Wynalda: "We deserve to be disappointed. This was terrible."

Lacking a Spark, U.S. Is Burned by the Germans

Michael Urban/Reuters

For all the talk about how far its World Cup team has come, the United States got a reality check Monday, losing 2-0 to Germany in Paris. Except for a 10-minute stretch in the second half, the Americans were dismantled by the better organized and more disciplined Germans, who have won this tournament three times. "I think some of us were a little in awe," said U.S. midfielder Claudio Reyna (pictured). The United States now needs at least a win and a tie against Iran and Yugoslavia to advance past the first round.

From The Post

JUNE 11:U.S. Can't Kick About Salaries
JUNE 12: German Slight Irks Sampson
JUNE 13: As Hejduk Grows, U.S. Goes
JUNE 15: U.S. World Cup Team Saves Its 'Best' for First
JUNE 14: An Unrelenting Will to Succeed Drives U.S. Coach
JUNE 15: Future Is Now for Reyna
JUNE 16: Klinsmann, Moeller Lift Germany Over U.S., 2-0
JUNE 16: Lacking a Spark in Their Opener, U.S. Gets Burned
JUNE 17: U.S. Players Irked With Lineup, Changes Planned
JUNE 18: Sampson Not Upset About Players' Complaints
JUNE 18: Good Sports, Not Bad Blood, Spur Players
JUNE 20: Coach Adds Forward to Punchless Attack
JUNE 21: U.S., Iran Find Politics Are Afoot
JUNE 21: U.S. Loses to Iran, 2-1, Fades From World's Vie
JUNE 23: U.S. Team Remains Optimistic After Loss
JUNE 24: Some U.S. Players Unhappy With Sampson
JUNE 25: Sampson, on Defensive, Seeks More Respect
JUNE 26: U.S. Ends Up With Nothing
JUNE 27: USSF to Fine Players Critical of Sampson
JUNE 30: Sampson Resigns as U.S. Coach
JULY 2: Rothenberg, Milutinovic Keep U.S. Job Out of Talks
JULY 4: Agoos, Pope Grow From U.S. Team Experience
JULY 10: U.S. Soccer Will Target Youth
JULY 13: U.S. Talks Coaching Vacancy With 3 Candidates

From AP

JUNE 26: U.S. to Shake Up Lineup After 2-0 Loss

World Cup Highlights

Sixth participation in World Cup finals (1930, '34, '50, '90, '94, '98)
Reached semifinal in 1930 World Cup in Uruguay
Reached last 16 twice (1950, 1994)
Made semifinal of the Copa America in 1995

First-Round Results

Day Opponent Site Monday, June 15 Germany 2, U.S. 0 Paris Sunday, June 21 Iran 2, U.S. 1 Lyon Thursday, June 25 Yugoslavia 1, U.S. 0 Nantes

Complete First-Round Results

Roster

No. Pos. Name Age Club 1 GK Brad Friedel 26 Liverpool 18 GK Kasey Keller 28 Leicester City 24 GK Juergen Sommer 29 Columbus Crew 12 D Jeff Agoos 29 D.C. United 17 D Marcelo Balboa 30 Colorado Rapids 4 D Mike Burns 27 New England Revolution 5 D Thomas Dooley 36 Columbus Crew 22 D Alexi Lalas 27 New York/New Jersey MetroStars 3 D Eddie Pope 24 D.C. United 6 D David Regis 29 Karlsruhe 15 M Chad Deering 27 VfL Wolfsburg 2 M Frankie Hejduk 23 Tampa Bay Mutiny 13 M Cobi Jones 27 Los Angeles Galaxy 19 M Brian Maisonneuve 24 Columbus Crew 14 F Preki Radosavljevic 34 Kansas City Wizards 10 M Tab Ramos 23 NY/NJ Metrostars 21 M Claudio Reyna 24 VlF Wolfsburg 8 M Ernie Stewart 29 NAC Breda 20 F Brian McBride 25 Columbus Crew 9 M Joe-Max Moore 27 New England Revolution 7 F Roy Wegerle 34 Tampa Bay Mutiny 11 F Eric Wynalda 28 San Jose Clash

Road to France

Won Lost Tied GF GA 8 2 6 27 14 How Qualified: Second place in CONCACAF

Date Result Nov. 16, 1997 United States 4, El Salvador 2 Nov. 9, 1997 Canada 0, United States 3 Nov. 2, 1997 Mexico 0, United States 0 Oct. 3, 1997 United States 1, Jamaica 1 Sept. 7, 1997 United States 1, Costa Rica 0 June 29, 1997 El Salvador 1, United States 1 April 20, 1997 United States 2, Mexico 2 March 23, 1997 Costa Rica 3, United States 2 March 16, 1997 United States 3, Canada 0 March 2, 1997 Jamaica 0, United States 0 CONCACAF Semifinal Round Dec. 21, 1996 Guatemala 2, United States 2 Dec. 14, 1996 United States 2, Costa Rica 1 Dec. 1, 1996 Costa Rica 2, United States 1 Nov. 24, 1996 Trinidad & Tobago 0, United States 1 Nov. 10, 1996 United States 2, Trinidad & Tobago 0 Nov. 3, 1996 United States 2, Guatemala 0

Facts and Figures

Knight-Ridder/Tribune
Location: North America, bordering both the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Pacific Ocean, between Canada and Mexico
Population: 263.8 million (1995 estimate)
Capital: Washington, D.C.
Comparative area: About half the size of Russia; about three-tenths the size of Africa; about one-half the size of South America (or slightly larger than Brazil); slightly smaller than China; about 2½ times the size of Western Europe (Note: Comparisons include only the 50 states and District of Columbia)
Religions: Protestant 56 percent, Roman Catholic 28 percent, Jewish 2 percent, other 4 percent, none 10 percent (1989)
Landscape: Ranges from warm beaches of Florida and Hawaii to the frozen northlands of Alaska, and from the level Midwestern prairies to the snow-capped Rocky Mountains; the largest state is Alaska, which stretches almost as wide as the mainland United States