Just For Kicks

By Al Chase

Thursday, December 2, 1999

U-17 team is future
of U.S. soccer

THE United States Under 17 men's team that lost to Ghana, 2-0, and finished fourth in the recent FIFA U-17 World Championship should be the nucleus of the U.S. National Men's team in the near future. This is the best finish ever for a U.S. men's team in an FIFA competition.

Several players have opted to turn professional instead of attending college and others who have committed to colleges could change their minds if the right pro opportunities arose.

Striker Landon Donovan of Redlands, Calif., has signed with Bayer Leverkusen in Germany's Bundesliga. DeMarcus Beasley, a midfielder from Fort Wayne, Ind., signed with Major League Soccer's Los Angeles Galaxy. Seth Trembley, a midfielder from Littleton, Colo., signed with MLS' Colorado Rapids.

Raul Palomares, a forward from Inglewood, Calif., trains with FC Kaiserslautern's youth and reserve teams in Germany.

It may be too soon for these players to make a difference in the 2002 World Cup, but they definitely should be ready for the 2006 event. And they won't have celebrated their 30th birthdays when Project 2010, the program the U.S. Soccer Federation hopes will put the Americans in the World Cup final, bears fruit.

Brazil won the U-17 title match by defeating Australia, 8-7, on penalty kicks following a scoreless tie in the rain.

England's storied Manchester United soccer club finds itself on top of the world on two accounts.

Roy Keane's goal in the 35th minute off a lob pass from Ryan Giggs, MVP of the match, gave United the victory in the World Club Cup final of the Toyota Cup in Tokyo Tuesday.

The European champions defeated South American champion, Palmeiras (Brazil), 1-0.

Palmeiras, in a bid to end Europe's run of four consecutive wins in what used to be known as the Intercontinental Cup, unleashed a series of attacks. The Brazilians outshot United, 23-10, but a tight United defense, sparked by goalkeeper Mark Bosnich, was able to frustrate the Brazilians for the full 90 minutes.

This might have been the last meaningful Toyota Cup because FIFA, the world soccer governing body, has created the World Club Championship, which will be staged for the first time in Brazil in January. Manchester United will play in that event.

United also retained the position of world's richest club when a survey of the world's top clubs, compiled by accountants Deloitte and Touche and the British soccer magazine Four Four Two, was published yesterday.

D.C. United has appeared in all four MLS Cups and won three, including this year's 2-0 triumph over the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Does this portend a dynasty in the making like baseball's New York Yankees or basketball's Boston Celtics in Bill Russell's days or the Michael Jordan-led Chicago Bulls?

MLS commissioner Don Garber isn't worried, although he admitted that fans probably would like to see another team make a good run for the title.

United's success should simply be a challenge for the other MLS teams to improve.

Ronaldo, the brilliant Brazilian and Inter Milan striker, faces four to five months out of action after an operation on a damaged knee tendon Tuesday.

FIFA's executive committee will decide next July which country will stage the 2006 World Cup finals.

Brazil, England, Germany Morocco and South Africa have put in bids to host the event.