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Americans go for berth in World Cup
BURNABY, British Columbia (AP) Ñ With a win and some help from Mexico and Jamaica, the United States can clinch a World Cup berth Sunday when it plays Canada.The Americans (2-1-5) have 11 points and are third in the six-team final round of soccerÕs North and Central American region. To qualify with one game to spare, the Americans need Mexico to beat or tie visiting Costa Rica and need Jamaica to get a tie or win at El Salvador.
And the United States must beat Canada while missing midfielders John Harkes (suspended) and Tab Ramos (injured), starting goalkeeper Kasey Keller (injured) and defender Jeff Agoos (suspended).
ÒThe World Cup is Sunday. ItÕs not next June, itÕs this weekend,Ó American coach Steve Sampson said.
Canada (1-4-3) has virtually no chance to qualify. It would need victories against the United States and Costa Rica (2-4-2), plus the right combination of other results to ensure that 12 points is enough to get one of the regionÕs three berths.
ÒWhat weÕve got to do is just play for our pride and play for yourselves,Ó Canada coach Bob Lenarduzzi said. ÒYou never know whoÕs watching. ... A good performance could result in a player enhancing his current position.Ó
The Americans would prefer not to need any points going into their final game, against El Salvador (2-3-3) on Nov. 16 at Foxboro, Mass. Mexico (4-0-4) already has clinched one berth, and Jamaica (3-2-3) is second with 12 points, one ahead of the U.S. team.
The Americans beat Canada 3-0 on March 16 at Stanford, Calif., taking a two-goal lead after just 14 minutes thanks to a penalty kick and a Canadian defensive blunder.
ÒI think they would love to play the spoiler and defeat the United States,Ó Sampson said.
There is no shortage of motivation. Canadians such as Iain Fraser, Mark Watson and Geoff Aunger have a score to settle with the Americans after being released by the New England Revolution of Major League Soccer in the preseason.
If the U.S. team qualifies Sunday, Sampson will be able to rest many of his players in the El Salvador game. The Americans have 14 players with yellow cards, and if any of them get another against El Salvador, they would be suspended for the first game of next summerÕs tournament.
Canada will be missing suspended captain Randy Samuel and injured midfielders Nick DeSantis and Fernando Aguiar. Starting goalkeeper Craig Forest is back in England because of club commitments with West Ham United.
NEXT ROUNDS: Round of 16 || Quarter-finals || Semi-finals
GROUP A: Brazil, Morocco, Norway, Scotland
GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
GROUP F: Germany, Iran, United States, Yugoslavia
GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan