dor in Tegucigalpa, Honduras on Sept.
17. Midfielder Hugo Perez headed
home a high bouncing deflection to
put the Americans just two points
back of T&T and four behind Costa
Rica.
For the next two games the USA
defense would continue to slam the
door on their opponents. Led by
sweeper and team captain Michael
Windischmann and 20-year old goal
keeper Tony Meola the United States
would not surrender a goal. Unfortu
nately. while Meola and the rest of the
USA defense were blanking the oppo
sition, the national team went through
a scoring drought that forced the USA
into its final game to decide its quali
fying fate.
Two scoreless ties - vs. Guate
mala Oct. 8 in Guatemala City and El
Salvador Nov. 5 in St. Louis - set up
the final showdown in Port of Spain.
Costa Rica already had clinched one
of the two CONCACAF bids for the
World Cup, while the Americans and
T&T were tied with nine points. Be
cause T&T had the better goal differen
tial over the course of the qualifying
round, it needed only a tie against the
Americans to advance.
Americans Clinch Berth
But while the packed crowd of
35,000 were on their feet in Port of
Spain, Caligiuri's looping, left-footed
shot from 25 yards out was all the
Americans needed to make history.
His opportunistic goal not only sur
prised T&T goalkeeper Michael Mau
rice, but it brought sudden silence to
what had been a noisy crowd of red-
clad T&T fans.
The rest of the way the United
States defense lecj by Windischmann,
Meola, Steve Trittschuh, John Doyle
and Paul Krumpe stonewalled the T&T
attack and kept the dream alive for the
USA.
It's been 40 years, but the Ameri
cans have found their way back among
the soccer world's elite.
the 48th minute. But a T&T goal in
the 88th minute by Hutson Charles
gave the visitors a 1-1 tie.
The United States didn't despair.
In their very next qualifying game,
Eric Eichmann's goal in the 67th
minute broke a 1 -1 tie and helped the
national team defeat Guatemala 2-1
The game, in New Britain, Conn., on
June 17, was the only final round
game in which the USA would score
more than one goal.
While the Americans would not
play again until September, the Costa
Ricans had already played their eight
games and finished with 11 points.
Trinidad Tobago, meanwhile, had
played all but the one against the
USA. They had nine points after just
four games, the national team had
five points and held their destiny in
their own hands.
USA captured their third win in
five World Cup qualifiers and stayed
on track to qualify for the 1990 World
Cup with a 1-0 victory over El Salva-
Bob Thomas
States Qualifies!
USA National Team 43
