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American Morning

American Soccer Fans in Soccer Heaven This Morning

Aired June 05, 2002 - 09:35   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: American soccer fans are in soccer heaven this morning, Team USA beating heavily favored Portugal 3-2 in the first round of the World Cup. Now, the U.S. must take on the host team, South Korea.

And our own Richard Roth has watched the early-morning match at a New York City pub and hung in there to watch Ireland play Germany. And I don't even know if he can hear us now, but he has hung out with these folks, many of whom have never gone to bed. He joins us live now.

Good morning, Richard.

RICHARD ROTH, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning. Hung out, but not hung over.

It was a long night. Another long night is over here as hundreds of New Yorkers jammed one of these bars in Manhattan. And throughout the country it's been going on, watching World Cup soccer action thousands of mile away, South Korea and Japan. They lined up for the U.S. match 5:00 a.m. outside this establishment, and then they crowded in. There was standing room only here, as the U.S. took a surprising 3-0 lead in the first half, and then they went wild when the U.S. held on and won over Portugal.

And many of these people stayed around for a match between Germany and Island, though the U.S. match was the prime attraction in the early hours.

With us here are some of those the fans in that crowd. They stayed around here. They have to go to work, system of them.

Daniel, what do you think of the U.S. win? I know you took the day off from work.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I called in sick to work to watch the U.S. game, and it's a huge upset, and I'm so excited about it. To start the World Cup that way, and with such a big victory against such a team, it's been great, it's been a lot of fun.

ROTH: Also here, Lorraine, rooting for Ireland, but also for the United States. How do you make it -- what was this experience like?

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I just thought it was amazing. When I walked into the bar, it was so crowded upstairs. They put me downstairs to watch the game, but the atmosphere in the whole place was absolutely ecstatic, and when U.S. scored those goals, the place just erupted. It was just such a great experience.

ROTH: And moments ago, Ireland, your team, also tied it up in the last minute, which made you happy. But now you got to go to work after being up all night.

UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Oh, yes. It just one of the things you have to do, just on Tokyo time, you know, sort of sleep during the day, football, then work during the day.

ROTH: OK, World Cup fever here is going to continue. The U.S. match is several days away. It's just the beginning for the American team, but they're off to a good start.

Back to you.

ZAHN: Enjoy, Richard. Good luck with your hearing tomorrow.

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