FRANCE 98 – USA – A. Lalas: “Against the Iranian team, we will play for the 3 points and not worry about politics”

Comments from SAINT-JEAN-D’ARDIERES (69)

Marcelo BALBOA (17) :

“Our team has still got a chance of qualifying for the second round, but to do that we’ve got to win this match against IRAN, on Sunday 21 June, and that’s no easy task. The Iranians have got some very good forwards. We should concentrate on trying to find the game that we had during our preparation matches.”

Thomas DOOLEY, captain (5) :

“This will be a difficult match for the whole team. We have to win and to do this we have to play a more attacking game. The coach is pushing us to concentrate on the match against IRAN. Our problem is not really the fact that we lost to GERMANY, but the way in which we lost; we were not in the game”.

Alexi LALAS (22) :

“Against the Iranian team, we will play for the three points and not worry about politics or any other pressures. Football allows us to get closer to people and to cut through all the prejudice. We respect the Iranian team and nation. However, we must not get too much emotional about this match. We have to be mentally and physically disciplined”.

David REGIS (6) :

“It’s always hard to lose a match. We’ve got to win in LYON. The Iranian team has got some very good forwards. There’s no reason to politicise this match. Our aim is to get to through to the last sixteen.”

Kasey KELLER (18) :

“The match against IRAN will be difficult because they are a team made up of some very good attacking players. There is a lot of emotion surrounding this match, however our aim is to show that in terms of football, the UNITED STATES exists and that we will be one of the world’s major teams in a few years time.