Organizers of next summer's World Cup got Italy, Germany and the United States where they wanted. They didn't get the Americans in the kind of company they sought.
Amid speculation the World Cup draw Sunday would place the United States in a weak group, just the opposite happened. As hosts of the world soccer championship for the first time, the Americans were grouped with Colombia, Romania and Switzerland.All three teams are ranked higher than the U.S. team, which will play one first-round game at the Pontiac Silverdome and two at the Rose Bowl.
"I don't know anything about our opposing countries except where they are on the map," U.S. defender Alexi Lalas said. "In the World Cup, the big teams get scared and the little ones go crazy."
The draw seemed a bit crazy to Alan Rothenberg, chairman of World Cup USA '94 and president of the U.S. Soccer Federation. Although FIFA general secretary Joseph Blatter fully explained the procedures earlier in the week, Rothenberg was puzzled that Colombia wound up with the United States.
"I understood the process when we met in Switzerland back around Thanksgiving," Rothenberg said. "I understood it when we went to the FIFA executive meeting last week, and I understood it when Blatter explained it to the press. I didn't understand it today."
Under the system of complicated rules governing the draw, teams from the same qualifying regions - except for Europe, which has 13 teams - cannot play in the same first-round groups. Mexico, Bolivia and Colombia were in the second tier of teams selected after the seeded teams - Germany, the United States, Italy, Brazil, Argentina and Belgium - were placed atop each of the six first-round groups.
That meant Brazil, Argentina and the United States had to have the second slot filled in their groups before the seeds from Europe had their second slots filled.
Cameroon was drawn first and placed with Brazil. Colombia came out next and was placed with the U.S. team, thus ensuring Mexico could not be with the United States.
"I don't understand how Colombia ended up in the U.S. group," Rothenberg added. "As I understood it, they should have ended up in the German group. I don't know why he moved them to the U.S. group and I'm sure he has lots of explanations.
"But I was not happy with the result. If there had been a fix, it wouldn't have been putting Colombia with the U.S."
The Americans play Switzerland at Pontiac, Mich., on June 18, then face Colombia at Pasadena, Calif., on June 22 and Romania at the Rose Bowl on June 26.
The World Cup opens June 17 in Chicago with defending champion Germany against Bolivia. Spain and South Korea also are in that group and will play at Dallas that evening.
"Spain will be tough, but the first game is the most difficult as we can not underestimate the Bolivians," said German captain Lothar Matthaus.
The most difficult group probably is Italy's, which also features Ireland, Mexico and Norway. They will play at Giants Stadium in New Jersey, RFK Stadium in Washington and the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.
"Together with Colombia, Mexico is the nation that plays the most modern soccer," said Arrigo Sacchi, Italy's coach.
The Belgians and Dutch, who know plenty about each other, are together in Group F, along with Morocco and Saudi Arabia. They will play in Giants Stadium, RFK Stadium and the Citrus Bowl.
Brazil finds Russia, Cameroon and Sweden in its sector, with games at Pasadena, Stanford, Calif., and the Silverdome - the first dome ever used in the world soccer championship.
Argentina was grouped with Nigeria, Bulgaria and Greece for games in Chicago, Dallas and Foxboro, Mass. Diego Maradona, the star of the last three Argentine World Cup teams, didn't think much of that setup.
"We knew beforehand who was going to be in each group," Maradona claimed. "I cannot understand the ceremonies. They are a big joke."
Rothenberg might agree.