U.S. Looks for Kicks Down Road

Having nothing more than shutout losses to Peru and Mexico to look back on and with the prospect of another defeat likely tonight against Denmark, the U.S. national soccer team is better off looking ahead.

After a two-game trip to China next month, Coach Steve Sampson’s squad will regroup at the end of February to prepare for the resumption of World Cup ’98 qualifying.

The U.S. will open on the road in Kingston against Jamaica on March 2, then will play Canada in Palo Alto on March 16 and Costa Rica on March 23 in San Jose.

But it is a home game against Mexico, at a site to be determined, that is foremost on the players’ minds in the wake of Sunday’s 2-0 U.S. Cup ’97 loss to the Mexicans at the Rose Bowl.

The U.S., which needs to finish in the top three of the final six-nation regional qualifying group to reach France ‘98, is trying to come up with a game site that is least desirable for the Mexican team.

Sites under consideration are Foxboro Stadium near Boston and the Kingdome in Seattle.

In the meantime, Coach Bora Milutinovic’s Mexico team can successfully defend its U.S. Cup title tonight with either a tie or a victory against Peru in the teams’ 8:45 p.m. game at the Rose Bowl. At 6:30, the U.S. will play Denmark, which has a chance to win the title if it defeats the Americans by a large enough margin and Mexico loses.