FRANCE 98 – General Media News Template
Underdog Macedonia played the United States to a goal-less draw here on Saturday in the Americans’ first of three final tuneup matches before the World Cup opens in June. The match, played before 23,861 fans following a Major League Soccer encounter here, was the first since US coach Steve Sampson named 20 of the 22 players for the squad that will play in France. The United States opens against Germany in Paris on June 15, then faces Iran on June 21 in Lyon and plays June 25 against Yugoslavia, which has a similar style to that of neighboring Macedonia. The Macedonians have held their own against other World Cup qualifiers in the past two months, drawing South Korea and beating Jamaica and Bulgaria.
American forward Brian McBride and Macedonia defender Ljubo Milosevic banged heads in the visitors’ penalty area with 30 minutes remaining and neither was on the field for the finish.
McBride wobbled off the pitch in the 63rd minute under the assistance of trainers. Milosevic had to be carried off on a stretcher. The Americans kept the same 3-6-1 formation that produced a 3-0 triumph last month in Austria.
Tab Ramos, a favorite for one of the two US World Cup vacancies, made his first international appearance since a 1-1 qualifying draw with Jamaica last October. He is recovering from torn right knee ligaments but showed no signs of the injury in playing most of the game. Injuries forced Sampson to alter his starting lineup. The Americans were without potential starters Frankie Hejduk (right hamstring strain), Claudio Reyna (right calf strain), Ernie Stewart (left ankle sprain) and Eric Wynalda (left knee cartilage tear). Sampson hopes all will be return in time for a May 24 exhibition against Kuwait in Portland, Oregon. The Americans also will play Scottland May 30 in Washington before leaving for France. Frenchman David Regis has trained with the US team for the past week and hopes to gain his US citizenship next week.