FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
Scotland and the United States played to a 0-0 draw here Saturday in their last tune-up before the World Cup finals.
Scotland play in the World Cup finals opener on June 10 against reigning champion Brazil and also face Norway and Morocco in the first round.
The draw was Scotland’s third in as many matches, following a 2-2 result with Colombia one week ago and a 1-1 finish with Finland in April. Scotland had a 3-1 record against the US team in four prior meetings.
The Scottish, ranked 41st by FIFA, have never reached the second round in seven finals appearances. The US team, rated 11th, open in Paris on June 15 against three-time champions Germany and also meet political rival Iran and Yugoslavia in the first round.
The US team heads for France with a 1998 record of 6-3 with three drawn. The Americans have not lost since February 25, a 2-0 defeat at Belgium, with two victories and three draws since. By holding Scotland scoreless, the US team matched its record by going four games without conceding a goal, a standard set in 1976.
Eric Wynalda, coming off knee surgery in April, became only the fourth US player with 100 caps when he entered the game in the 62nd minute and threatened 11 minutes later. Wynalda dribbled past Scottish defender Paul Lambert to the goalline, but his left-footed set-up went across the front of the goal without anyone on the end of it.
Scotland’s Kevin Gallacher was denied by American goalkeeper Kasey Keller on a breakaway in the 59th minute. The Blackburn Rovers forward sent a low right-footed shot that was knocked aside. Gallacher beat the US defence again in the 70th minute, but his low shot to the right was stopped by Keller.
The United States, using their new 3-6-1 formation, produced the two best scoring chances of the first half. Lone forward Roy Wegerle took a deflection from Scottish defender Colin Hendry and slammed a shot off the crossbar in the 20th minute. In the 27th minute, Cobi Jones lofted a pass from the left side that Joe-Max Moore fired on goal, but Scotland goaltender Jim Leighton pushed the ball over the goal.
Leighton also denied Jones in the 81st minute and Preki Radosavljeic in the 83rd from inside the penalty area. Midfielders Moore and Tab Ramos started in place of Brian Maisonneue, who has an injured right foot, and Claudio Reyna, who has a pulled groin.
Scotland benched midfielder Craig Burley with a strained calf but midfielder John Collins played despite an injured toe.