U.S. victory a good first step, but only a first step

The pain of France 1998 has finally been put to rest. In 2002, there will be no last-place finish for the U.S. men's soccer team. The ultimate embarrassment has been avoided and another stunning upset has been added to the all-too-short list of USA victories in World Cup play.

The United States' seemingly improbable 3-2 victory over Portugal at the World Cup Stadium in Suwon, South Korea, is seen by many as the biggest upset of the 2002 World Cup, and as one of the greatest achievements in the less-than-storied annals of American soccer.

That these views are widely held is unfortunate. If American soccer had truly made the strides that many claim have been made in recent years, such a result should not have sent shock waves through the world. The reaction to the victory, both at home and abroad, points out the sad fact that American soccer still has a lot to prove.

The victory over Portugal should be seen for what it is... an opportunity. A chance to finally prove that times have changed. To place any more importance on this one victory is to accept the United States' historical place in world soccer, that of perennial non-factor.

For over a decade, the USA Soccer Federation (USSF) has claimed that American soccer has been making great strides. We have been assured that it will only be a matter of time before the men's national team becomes truly competitive at the highest level of the sport. Yet, in 1990, 1994, and 1998 the United States collected just one victory in World Cup final play, the shocking 2-1 upset of Colombia on American soil in 1994.

Two upsets in four tournaments does not great strides make. While clearly some progress has been made in recent years, only a solid showing in three games or more on the world's biggest stage will accomplish the long-stated goal.

For the USA National Team to show that they have truly shed the past, that they are no longer the 97-pound-weakling of the soccer world, they must build on the victory over Portugal. They must add to this victory by playing smart, tough, competitive soccer in the next two games... win lose, or draw.

Since an appearance in the semifinals in the first World Cup in 1930, the USA has never shown the slightest ability to consistently compete at the highest level of the world's most popular sport. (Following 3-0 victories over Paraguay and Belgium, Argentina unceremoniously bounced the United States from the 1930 tournament by a score of 6-1). Until the Americans string together several quality performances in a row in World Cup play, nothing will really have changed.

Many excuses have been made for America's lack of success over the years. None of these excuses fully explains the study in futility that has long been USA soccer. While soccer does not hold the place of honor in the American sporting landscape that it holds in much of the world, that alone can not explain the American failure to produce a quality national side over the decades.

The USA boasts a diverse population of nearly 300 million people, one of the largest populations on earth. The raw materials for a competitive team, gifted athletes who play the game from a young age, have long existed in abundant supply. The youth of the United States play the game in virtually every city, town, and rural hamlet from coast to coast. The term "soccer mom" has not become ubiquitous in the American lexicon without cause.

The long-heard excuse that there is no professional outlet for talented Americans, while once valid, no longer has any merit. The need has been filled by the stable, albeit uninspiring, MLS. In addition, American players have slowly earned the opportunity to assert themselves in Europe's top professional leagues. The current generation of young American "footballers" has had a great deal of experience against top competition.

The acquisition of this experience has apparently paid off. The current group of USA players has displayed a speed, skill, and flair for finishing lacking in past American sides. There can be no more excuses. No one expects the USA side to bring home the title of best in the world. Such a goal is still far too much to ask.

What can and should be expected is a consistently high level of play. It is far more important for America's soccer development that the players show that they can replicate a quality performance time and time again than that they score an occasional monumental upset. A positive result in any individual contest should no longer be seen as having great value.

Of course, it is a fact, the USA beat the fifth ranked team in the world. Pride can be taken in that, but now the pressure is on to show that they can perform at that level again. Anything less, and this victory like the two previous U.S. World Cup victories of the past five-plus decades, will likely be seen as an aberration, and not as a sign of things to come.

The American players must not allow their victory over Portugal to take on too much personal significance. They cannot afford to bask for long in the glowing press that has come on the heels of victory. They must not expect Poland and South Korea to be caught off guard, as Portugal clearly was.

The fire and determination displayed against the Portuguese must be carried into subsequent matches. A soccer match, after all, is as often a test of wills as a test of skills. Nothing can be taken for granted.

By beating the Portuguese, the Americans forcefully kicked open the door to respectability. Will this be the USA team that finally walks through that door heads held high, or will they, like their predecessors, fail to seize the opportunity, and bow their heads in shame as the door is slammed in their faces once more?

Their next match versus World Cup co-hosts South Korea on June 10 will likely tell much of the tale.