When is the last time the US won a meaningful away game?

[Attack Attack Attack]

I was trying to think this morning the last meaningful away game the US has won. I threw out the Swiss and Poland away because they were friendlies. This year we could not win at El Salvador, Guatemala, and Costa Rica. Our last great performance in a meaningful non-home game might have been WC06 against Italy, but that in a neutral site and a tie. Before that you have some great WC02 wins, but also neutral site. Can anyone recall the last big meaningful away win we have had?

[Matt in the Hat]

September 6, 2008
Cuba 0:1 USA

Close the thread.

[Dr. Gamera]

Can anyone recall the last big meaningful away win we have had?

Cuba 0 USA 1, 6 September 2008, WCQ (semifinal round)
Guatemala 0 USA 1, 20 August 2008, WCQ (semifinal round)
Barbados 0 USA 1, 22 June 2008, WCQ (probably not particularly meaningful)

Perhaps you are looking for:
Panama 0 USA 3, 8 June 2005, WCQ (hex)
Trinidad and Tobago 1 USA 2, 9 February 2005, WCQ (hex)

[russ]

It's a region where 50 percent of the teams advance in each round.

So a CONCACAF team may never have to win a road qualifier.

So it doesn't matter.

Almost like it was designed that way.... :)

[El Cholo]

September 6, 2008
Cuba 0:1 USA

Close the thread.

The Honduras game before the 2002 WC was the last win in a tough atmosphere and against a really good opponent. El milagro de San Pedro de Sula!!!

When you think about it, how many meaningful tough road games are there?
Mexico, Costa Rica sure & never a victory, a draw would be miraculous there.

Last Qualifying, there was victories in Panama, T&T & El Salvador, but a real world power top #10 team would destroy those guys. Can you really see England, Argentina etc... struggling against the Salvatruchis??

But also remember when was Mexico, Costa Rica & Honduras last meaningful win in a tough road atmosphere??? It probably was a long time ago as well, I don't know?

EDIT: Since the Honduras game for the WC2002, the toughest win was Guatemala last year.

[El Cholo]

Recent Victories on the Road for Costa Rica in WC Qualifying...

El Salvador, Suriname & Haiti were all road victories for the Ticos in this qualifying. Before that...

03-Sep-2005--- Panama City, Pan.---3-1
13-Oct-2004--- Vancouver, Can --- 3-1
01-Set-2001--- Port of Spain, --- 2-0
11-Nov-2001--- Kingston, Jam.--- 1-0
Jul-2001--- Tegucigalpa--- 3-2
16-Jun-2001--- Mexico City--- 2-1

[El Cholo]

Mexico hasn't won a meaningful road game in over 4 years. Belize in Houston doesn't count!

5-Jun-05 Guatemala, GUA. 2-0 Guatemala
9-Feb-05 San José, Costa Rica 2-1 Costa Rica
10-Oct-04 Kingstown, SV 1-0 St. Vincent
8-Sep-04 Port of Spain, T&T 3-1 Trinidad & Tob.
2-Sep-01 Kingston, Jam 2-1 Jamaica
16-Jul-00 Panama, Pan 1-0 Panama

[Bruce S]

It's a region where 50 percent of the teams advance in each round.

So a CONCACAF team may never have to win a road qualifier.

So it doesn't matter.

Almost like it was designed that way.... :)

it is the fairest system. Rather than having pools drawn randomly and the team that scores the most goals against the Faroe Islands advances.

[FirstStar]

We play so few. All WCQs are "meaningful", regardless of the level. If, however, your question is what is the last real road game we won over a truely difficult opponent, then I'd sa Mexico in Korea.

[russ]

it is the fairest system. Rather than having pools drawn randomly and the team that scores the most goals against the Faroe Islands advances.

The fairest system would involve CONMEBOL,the Top 6 of CONCACAF,and 4 groups of 4.

This will,of course ,never happen.:)

We play so few. All WCQs are "meaningful", regardless of the level. If, however, your question is what is the last real road game we won over a truely difficult opponent, then I'd sa Mexico in Korea.

Neutral site games are not "road" games because there is no home team.

[IKickAndIm50]

The win against Guatemala was the first time we beat them there. How can that not be meaningful? It sure seemed meaningful to me.

[Flyin Ryan]

Cuba 0 USA 1, 6 September 2008, WCQ (semifinal round)
Guatemala 0 USA 1, 20 August 2008, WCQ (semifinal round)
Barbados 0 USA 1, 22 June 2008, WCQ (probably not particularly meaningful)

Perhaps you are looking for:
Panama 0 USA 3, 8 June 2005, WCQ (hex)
Trinidad and Tobago 1 USA 2, 9 February 2005, WCQ (hex)

In modern CONCACAF qualifying history (beginning with the 1998 WC qualifying cycle until now), here are the road records in the Hex. Although Costa Rica has more wins, Mexico and the USA has more points due to ties.

Costa Rica 5-9-2 (Mexico '01, Honduras '01, Trinidad '01, Jamaica '01, Panama '05)
USA 4-6-7 (Canada '97, Honduras '01, Trinidad '05, Panama '05)
Mexico 4-6-7 (El Salvador '97, Jamaica '01, Costa Rica '05, Guatemala '05)
Honduras 2-2-3 (Trinidad '01, USA '01)
Trinidad 2-9-1 (Honduras '01, Panama '05)
Jamaica 1-6-3 (Trinidad '01)
El Salvador 0-4-2
Guatemala 0-4-1
Canada 0-5-0
Panama 0-5-0

Here are the semifinal round games, all neutral site games removed.

USA 5-3-3 (Trinidad '96, Barbados '00, El Salvador '04, Guatemala '08, Cuba '08)
Costa Rica 5-4-2 (Trinidad '96, Canada '04, Haiti '08, Suriname '08, El Salvador '08)
Trinidad 5-5-1 (Canada '00, Panama '00, St. Vincent '04, St. Kitts '04, Cuba '08)
Honduras 5-6-1 (St. Vincent '96, El Salvador '00, St. Vincent '00, Costa Rica '04, Canada '08)
Mexico 4-5-2 (St. Vincent '96, Panama '00, Trinidad '04, St. Vincent '04)
Jamaica 3-5-4 (St. Vincent '96, St. Vincent '00, El Salvador '04)
El Salvador 2-6-3 (St. Vincent '00, Suriname '08)
Guatemala 2-6-3 (Barbados '00, Canada '04)
Canada 2-6-3 (El Salvador '96, Guatemala '04)
Panama 1-7-0 (Jamaica '04)
Cuba 1-8-0 (Panama '96)
St. Vincent 1-8-0 (St. Kitts '04)
Haiti 0-2-1
Suriname 0-2-1
Barbados 0-3-0
St. Kitts 0-3-0

[Adam Zebrowski]

define meaningful...

1989 at t&t....ah, it got usa to italia...

llok for any road match which achieved anyhting via a win...definitely not....

people need to comprehend HOW difficult it is on the road...

american fans rarely have a frame of reference for such environments...

it's a whole country out for your blood...

do you really comprehend what that means

[KALM]

So a meaningful away game doesn't include friendlies, neutral sites, or matches against lesser CONCACAF sides? In that case, we play two to three meaningful away games every four years, and at least two of them are at pretty brutal venues.

[ty webb]

Mexico hasn't won a meaningful road game in over 4 years. Belize in Houston doesn't count!

5-Jun-05 Guatemala, GUA. 2-0 Guatemala
9-Feb-05 San José, Costa Rica 2-1 Costa Rica
10-Oct-04 Kingstown, SV 1-0 St. Vincent
8-Sep-04 Port of Spain, T&T 3-1 Trinidad & Tob.
2-Sep-01 Kingston, Jam 2-1 Jamaica
16-Jul-00 Panama, Pan 1-0 Panama

The question is about the US. Who cares about Mexico?

[roadkit]

I defense of the original question, I don't see the US team reaching the next level until they can go into a place like Saprissa or Azteca and win a meaningful game (e.g., WCQ) against a decent side.

Period.

I'm sick of this "overwhelming homefield advantage" crap. It's almost like it's an excuse to lose - which is how we played on Wednesday.

[An Unpaved Road]

The win against Guatemala was the first time we beat them there. How can that not be meaningful? It sure seemed meaningful to me.
Exactly. You're probably not going to win at Mexico and Costa Rica until winning a road game at the likes of Guatemala is less of an unprecedented result and more of an expected occurrence.

[TrueCrew]

Fact is, people have a distorted view on two levels:

1) They think we are this close to being a world power (Germany, Dutch, England) or even like Portugal or the Czech's. We aren't. We are good, and a threat on our day. But we aren't that technically skilled, and have trouble if we fall behind.

2) They think all the other teams in CONCACAF suck, some include Mexico, and very recently would have included Costa Rica as well. They don't suck. Particularly at home. Yes, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Honduras are probably a cut above. But teams like T&T, Panama, Canada (Gold Cup), El Salvador, Guatemala, and Jamaica are problematic away from home.

Last, I think that like some of the posters, some of our players now think we are the undisputed kings of CONCACAF and qualifying for the World Cup is our birthright. It isn't. The older players know. And they tell the younger players. But I don't think they really believe until they get their ass kicked at time or two. Now they know. Or should now.

Guys like Bocanegra, Donovan and Beasley can remember when qualification was dicey. Guys like Hejduk and Pablo can remember the days when it didn't happen or was doubtful.

[soccerfan]

Can anyone recall the last big meaningful away win we have had?

T&T - USA 0-1 WCQ 1989 THIS WAS THE GAME WHERE CALIGIURI SCORED GIVING US THE POINTS TO GO TO THE FIRST WC IN AGES, STARTED GOOD RUN FOR US It allso took us got us the '94 WC and the start of MLS

[Mr Martin]

So a meaningful away game doesn't include friendlies, neutral sites, or matches against lesser CONCACAF sides? In that case, we play two to three meaningful away games every four years, and at least two of them are at pretty brutal venues.

Most accurate post in the thread.