LATE JONES GOAL GIVES U.S. 2-1 WIN IN FIRST ROAD MATCH OF 2000; VICTORY IS THIRD STRAIGHT AGAINST CHILE

Game Winner Comes in 88th; "Chevrolet Man of the Match" Lewis Notches Goal, Assist

COQUIMBO, Chile (Saturday, January 29, 2000) - The U.S. Men's National Team benefitted from an 88th minute strike from forward Cobi Jones to down Chile, 2-1, at Estadio Francisco Sanchez Rumoros in Coquimbo, Chile. Playing their first away match of 2000, the U.S. team earned its first win of the year as well as its third consecutive victory against Chile. More importantly, the result snapped a five-game winless streak on South American soil that dates back to 1995.

U.S. midfielder Eddie Lewis, who was named "Chevrolet Man of the Match," had another career game against Chile. Earning his 15th cap and notching his second international goal for the U.S., the 25-year-old flank midfielder opened the scoring in the 55th minute when he sent a header just inside the far post off an Eric Wynalda free kick from the left side.

Lewis also assisted on the game-winning goal, streaking down the left side before sending a beautiful cross to the far post to the feet of an onrushing Cobi Jones, who volleyed it back across the goal past the wrong-footed Chilean goalkeeper Marcelo Ramirez with just two minutes left to play in regulation time.

Coincidentally, Lewis got his first international goal against Chile almost a year ago, when he knocked in the game-winner in the 65th minute to help the U.S. to a similar 2-1 victory on Feb. 21, 1999 at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

The U.S. now holds a 3-4-1 record against the South American force, including the last three decisions, a streak that started with a familiar 2-1 win in Team USA's Copa America opener in Paysandu, Uruguay, on June 8, 1995.

Utilizing a 3-5-2 formation, the U.S. defense also shone brightly tonight, anchored by the return of Eddie Pope at sweeper and the solid play of fullbacks Greg Vanney and C.J. Brown. Veteran goalkeeper Tony Meola, who leads all U.S. 'keepers with 91 caps, was forced to make just one save.

The lone Chile goal came on a 35-yard bomb by Jaime Riveros just two minutes after the U.S. score that tied the game at 1-1 in the 57th minute. Chile, coming off a balanced 4-4-4 record in 1999, was making its 2000 debut.

Tonight's result broke a five-game winless streak when the U.S. plays in the South American continent, with the last win also coming in Copa America 1995, this time a shocking 3-0 win over world powerhouse Argentina.

The Americans will next regroup in Ft. Lauderdale to prepare for the CONCACAF Gold Cup 2000, scheduled to be played in Miami, San Diego and Los Angeles between February 12-27. The U.S. is scheduled to meet Haiti (Feb. 12) and Peru (Feb. 16) in the opening round of Group B play at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Mexico, as reigning Gold Cup champions, and the USA, as the host country, qualified automatically for the 12-team biannual tournament. The United States won the inaugural competition on 1991, while Mexico has won the last three titles in 1993, 1996 and 1998.

2000 U.S. MEN'S NATIONAL TEAM GAME REPORT

Participants: U.S. Men's National Team vs. Chile National Team
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Estadio Francisco Sanchez Rumoros (Coquimbo, Chile)
Date: January 29, 2000 - kickoff 8:00 p.m. (ET)
Weather: 65 degrees - Cool, Crisp

Scoring Summary: 1st 2nd Final
United States 0 2 2
Chile 0 1 1

USA - Eddie Lewis, (Eric Wynalda), 55,
CHI - Jaime Riveros, (Raul Palacios), 57,
USA - Cobi Jones, (Eddie Lewis), 88.

Lineups:
USA - 1-Tony Meola (Capt.); 4-Greg Vanney, 23-Eddie Pope, 5-C.J. Brown; 7-Eddie Lewis, 14-Chris Armas (6-John Harkes, 46), 21-Richie Williams, 19-Ben Olsen (13-Cobi Jones, 70), 9-Jovan Kirovski (15-Chad Deering, 78); 11-Eric Wynalda (25-Roy Lassiter, 56), 22-Ante Razov.

CHI - Marcelo Ramirez; Raul Palacios, Miguel Ramirez (Alex von Schwelder, 46), Mauricio Aros; Christian Flores, Marcos Villaseca, Clarence Acuna, Estaben Valencia (Joel Reyes, 37), Jaime Riveros; Mario Nunez (Pedro Gonzalez, 66), Sebastian Rozental (Ricardo Queralto, 85).

Statistical Summary: USA CHI
Shots . . . . . . . . . . 8 8
Saves . . . . . . . . . . 1 3
Corner Kicks . . . . . 3 3
Fouls . . . . . . . . . . 17 13
Offside . . . . . . . . . 1 3

Misconduct Summary:
USA Armas (caution) 12,
USA Olsen (caution) 41,
CHI Palacios (caution) 43,
CHI Reyes (caution) 50,
USA Lewis (caution) 77.

Notes:


12th minute - ARMAS given yellow card for hard foul.
13th minute - WYNALDA commits foul in midfield.
15th minute - OLSEN play on endline results in goal kick for Chile.
15th minute - Chile offensive opportunity on breakaway. MEOLA saves initial shot and gives up rebound. Second shot is wide left.
17th minute - VANNEY commits foul in midfield.
18th minute - Chile shot is high from about 40 yards.
20th minute - OLSEN cross to KIROVSKI in box, headed towards goal to WYNALDA. Chilean goalkeeper dove and blocked shot. Rebound is cleared away by defender.
22nd minute - Pass into box goes over endline ahead of Chilean forward.
23rd minute - Cross by KIROVSKI cleared by Chilean defender. U.S. retains possession.
24th minute - RAZOV's cross from right wing is cleared by goalkeeper's punch.
25th minute - Another long-range shot from about 40 yards by Chile is high.
27th minute - Chile is flagged for offsides.
27th minute - RAZOV shoots high from about 25 yards.
29th minute - Free kick for U.S. sent into box but headed out by Chilean defender.
29th minute - WILLIAMS offsides for U.S.
31st minute - WILLIAMS commits foul in midfield. Free kick sent into box but cleared.
31st minute - KIROVSKI suffers brutal foul in midfield. Free kick left side, outside of box. WYNALDA sends it into the box, but it is sent out...
32nd minute - WYNALDA commits foul on right sideline at midfield stripe.
34th minute - U.S. commits foul in midfield, quick restart.
35th minute - KIROVSKI cross into box. WYNALDA gets a foot on the cross, but goalkeeper is there to smother it off of WYNALDA's foot.
36th minute - VANNEY clears a Chilean cross.
38th minute - Chilean substitution: Esteban Valencia is replaced by Joel Reyes.
39th minute - VANNEY clears another cross.
40th minute - OLSEN commits foul on left side of midfield on defensive side of the center line. OLSEN given yellow card.
41st minute - WYNALDA had breakaway on left side of box, played out for corner. His corner is cleared without a shot.
42nd minute - POPE suffers foul about 35 yard from goal in middle of field. Free kick awarded. KIROVSKI's kick is blocked by the wall and cleared.
43rd minute - PALACIOS given yellow card for foul on WYNALDA.
45th minute - KIROVSKI dribbles into box and the ball is poked away for a corner. LEWIS's corner is punched away by 'keeper.
45th minute - OLSEN on left side, his low shot skips under a defender's legs, but the 'keeper is there to control the ball.

HALFTIME


46th minute - Halftime substitutions: Alex von Schwedler for Miguel Ramirez. Harkes for Williams.
48th minute - U.S. corner. LEWIS to POPE in box. POPE header to OLSEN, he sends the ball into box where KIROVSKI sends a shot wide right.
Notes: Stats (U.S./Chile) - Shots: 4/4; Saves: 1/2; Fouls: 5/6; Corners: 2/1; Offsides: 1/1.
50th minute - Foul suffered by OLSEN on right flank. Yellow card for REYES.
51st minute - Shot wide right from 25 yards by Chile.
55th minute - FLORES handles ball. RAZOV takes free kick, sends shot right on goal, caught by 'keeper.
55th minute - WYNALDA's free kick on the left side, just outside penalty area sent into middle of box. LEWIS redirected the ball inside right post with a header. U.S. leads 1-0 on LEWIS's second career international goal, coming in his fifteen appearance. His first goal came last February 21, also against Chile.
56th minute - LASSITER comes on for WYNALDA.
57th minute - Ball crossed into RIVEROS about 35 yards from goal. He touches to control and send a hard left-footed shot from 30 yards into upper left corner for Chile's first goal. The score is tied, 1-1.
63rd minute - BROWN suffers foul just outside the U.S. penalty area.
65th minute - LEWIS crosses to LASSITER inside the six-yard box. LASSITER header over the crossbar.
66th minute - BROWN commits foul.
66th minute - Chile substitution: Pedro Gonzalez in for Nario Nunez.
68th minute - VANNEY commits foul on right side of U.S. defense. Free kick sails through box untouched. Chile briefly held possession on left side, but could not get a shot off.
70th minute - BROWN commits foul about 35 yards from goal.
70th minute - U.S. substitution: JONES for OLSEN.
70th minute - Free kick resulting from BROWN's foul is blocked by the U.S. wall.
71st minute - VANNEY commits foul near midfield.
71st minute - LASSITER suffers foul from REYES in midfield.
76th minute - Chilean shot from close-range on the right side of the box is barely wide left.
77th minute - LEWIS is given a yellow card.
78th minute - U.S. substitution: DEERING for KIROVSKI.
79th minute - Chile's ROZENTAL commits foul on U.S. side of midfield.
80th minute - Shot by GONZALEZ from 25 yards is wide right.
84th minute - Chile is called for offsides.
85th minute - Chile substitution: Ricardo Queralto for Rozental.
86th minute - LASSITER is stunned by ball from close range and is being looked at by trainers. He remains on the field and play resumes.
88th minute - LEWIS from left side, crosses to far post. JONES, running onto goal meets the ball inside the penalty area at the right post and volleys a shot across the goal mouth into the goal, beating the 'keeper, changing directions. U.S. takes a 2-1 lead. Jones now has 9 goals in 121 appearances.
89th minute - Chile's shot is high.
Note: There will be three minutes of stoppage time.
90th minute - Chile threatening, BROWN clears ball over endline for corner. No shot opportunities off ensuing corner.
93rd minute - Chile corner is volleyed high, over goal.

FINAL

Last update: End of match.


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