Have at it - here are my selections: Bottom 5 5. Costa Rica 2 - US 0: World Cup Qualifying 2001 4. Brazil 3 - US 2: Confed Cup 2009 3. Ghana 2 - US 1: World Cup 2006 2. Czech Republic 3 - US 0: World Cup 2006 1. Germany 1 - US 0: World Cup 2002 Top 5 5. US 3 - Egypt 0: Confed Cup 2009 4. US 2 - Mexico 1: Gold Cup 2007 3. US 3 - Portugal 2: World Cup 2002 2. US 2 - Spain 0: Confed Cup 2009 1. US 2 - Mexico 0: World Cup 2002
I'll define the criteria as: (1) Worst: games where I personally felt punched in the gut and maybe even turned the game off, (2) Best: Most excited to be a US fan. This is obviously a personal list, about emotional expectations as a fan. With that in mind, Worst 5. Honduras 3, USA 2 (2001 WCQ) 4. Brazil 3, USA 0 (2009 Confed Cup) 3. Ghana 2, USA 1 (2006 WC) 2. Mexico 5, USA 0 (2009 Gold Cup Final) 1. Czech R. 3, USA 0 (2006 WC) Best 5. Italy 1, USA 1 (2006 WC) 4. Germany 1, USA 0 (2002 WC) 3. USA 3, Portugal 2 (2002 WC) 2. USA 2, Spain 0 (2009 Confed Cup) 1. USA 2, Mexico 0 (2002 WC)
Worst 5 (No order) Germany 1-0 USA: World Cup 2002 Czech Republic 3-0 USA: World Cup 2006 Ghana 2-1 USA: World Cup 2006 Brazil 3-0 USA: 2009 Confederations Cup Mexico 5-0 USA: 2009 Gold Cup Final Best 5 (No Order) USA 3-2 Portugal: World Cup 2002 USA 2-0 Mexico: World Cup 2002 USA 2-1 Mexico: Gold Cup 2007 USA 2-0 Spain: Confederations Cup 2009 Brazil 3-2 USA: Confederations Cup 2009 Playing Brazil in a FIFA Final and leading them was awesome. Even though we lost we played a great game on a big stage. I was proud to be American that day. I really want to put Poland 3-1 USA in 2002 in there because that just killed me because I thought we weren't going to go through after beating Portugal. I also want to put USA 1-1 Italy in the Best because we tied the WC Winners. But that game sucked bad. (These are all subject to change if people remind me of other games.)
Bottom 5: 5: USA 0 - Cameroon 0 (CC 2003) 4: USA 0 - Columbia 1 (CC 2009) 3: USA 1 - Poland 3 (WC 2002) 2: USA 0 - Mexico 5 (GC 2009) 1: USA 2 - Honduras 3 (WCQ 2001) We should have won the Cameroon match, and that guy who shattered Kyle Martino should have been sent off. I think it was the Columbia match in Copa America where we kept coming close but were extremely unlucky not to score. Perhaps it was the Paraguay match before where only Clark finished for us. Top 5 wins: 1. USA 2 - Mexico 0 (WC 2002) 2. USA 2 - Spain 0 (CC 2009) 3. USA 3 - Portugal 2 (WC 2002) 4. USA 3 - Egypt 0 (CC 2009) 5. USA 2 - Jamaica 1 (WCQ 2001) The Honduras - Jamaica matches are really notable for what happened in between.
Worst Czech 3-0 USA WC Iran 2-1 USA WC Poland 3-1 USA WC Brazil 1-0 USA Copa America Mex 1-0 USA Gold Cup (after beating Brazil) Best USA 1-0 Brazil Gold Cup Semi USA 2-1 Mexico Gold Cup USA 3-0 Argentina Copa America USA 3-2 Portugal WC USA 2-0 Mexico WC (Of course, I really wanted to put Spain Confed Cup in there, and I REALLY wanted to put our win over Mexico in the Copa America in there as well... if we didn't restrict this to full Nats games, I'd have a hard time not putting 2-1 over Brazil in the U-20s on the list - what a game!... also really loved the year we won the US cup. The 3-1 win over Ireland in the rain was great [what a goal by Tab] and later the US cup win over England)
The US v. Jamaica match was my final cut...such an emotional day in the crowd. I gave the nod to the Gold Cup final, though, as it was the best free-flowing US-Mexico - in a cup final! - and we scored on an insane winner and outstanding last-minute save.
when usa goes to saprissa, some very bad things have happened... surprised NOT to see mroe saprissa mentions... agree the honduras 3-2 win at rfk was real bad... not only did the hondurans dominate on the pitch, but they ran the stadium like it was san pedro sula...
Totally agree on that Poland game (my last cut of the worst, along with the Brazil game of this year.) I omitted both, because ultimately, we prevailed in the tournament setting...but man, that was an epic crapping of the bed.
Hmmm, everyone has USA 0 - 1 Germany on their "worst" list, which is an indication that it's how we feel not how we played that matter. I'd put that match on a list of top 10 or 15 in terms of how we played. I just re-watched the match (for the first time ever, took a long time to overcome those painful memories). We looked good that day- really, really good. In fact, we looked like a top 8 team in the world that day. We closed down Germany on the flanks all day long and they couldn't get their crosses into the box. They really didn't know what to do (other than try to get fouled, which eventually worked for them and then play great defense). What a dissappointing game, though. Landon was offsides by maybe, his hand swinging forward in the 3rd minute on a pass that would have put him in 1v1. Beerhalter was thrown to the ground in the box by a defender who was holding on to his jersey-- no call. Landon blew the 1v1 with Kahn (to be fair to Landon, one of the German CBs got back in time to take away his option to cut the ball back to the inside of the box), Sannah just about put that ball into the net in the second half, and, of course, Torsten Frings watched the ball bounce off his arm on the goal line. Sure, he didn't move his arm to intercept the ball, but he also didn't move his arm away when he saw that the ball was going to hit it. Sigh.
I've only been really following since 2006, but from what I can tell: WORST 5. 2006 World Cup vs. Ghana - the US still had a chance to meet some of their lofty expectations, but some weak play and iffy officiating ended all hope. 4. 2001 WCQ vs. Honduras - they dominated RFK on and off the field. 3. 2009 WCQ at Saprissa - one of the flattest performances ever. 2. 2006 World Cup vs. Czech Republic - run ragged on the biggest stage. 1. 2009 Gold Cup Final vs. Mexico - yes it was our B team, but such a pure embarassment. BEST 5c. 2006 World Cup vs. Italy - beautifully exhibited the determination, intensity, will, perseverence, athleticism, system, and attitude that has defined the US since the 2002 World Cup. 5b. 2002 World Cup Quarterfinal vs. Germany - the US played their best game of the tournament and showed the rest of the world what they were made of; the result hurt, but US Soccer would never be the same. 5a. 2007 Gold Cup Final vs. Mexico - the US continued its domination over its biggest rival, showed its ability to come from behind, got them into the Confederations Cup, and Benny Feilhaber devliered a golazo worthy of any major cup final. 4. 2009 Confederations Cup Final vs. Brazil - the US gave us approximately 50 minutes of the most joy any of us will ever get from watching the US play; it legitimized their performance against Spain and announcing their presence to the world. 3. 2002 World Cup vs. Mexico - advancing further than ever before on the world stage against your biggest rival, Dos A Cero in the best way. 2. 2002 World Cup vs. Portugal - one of the best performances against one of the best teams. 1. 2009 Confederations Cup Semifinal vs. Spain - an announcement to the world that the US was good enough and ended the longest winning streak in international soccer history.
Bottom 5: 5. US 1 - Costa Rica 3: WCQ 2009 4. US 0 - Brazil 3: Confederations Cup 2009 3. US 1 - Ghana 2: World Cup 2006 2. US 0 - Mexico 5: Gold Cup 2009 1. US 0 - Czech Republic 3: World Cup 2006 Top 5: 5. US 3 - Egypt 0: Confederations Cup 2009 4. US 2 - Mexico 1: Gold Cup 2007 3. US 2 - Mexico 0: World Cup 2002 2. US 2 - Spain 0: Confederations Cup 2009 1. US 3 - Portugal 2: World Cup 2002 Really difficult to omit the 1-1 draw with Italy in the 2006 World Cup. That was a hell of a result for us, but the sheer improbability of the US-Egypt result coupled with a corresponding 3-0 result in the Brazil-Italy match to send us through wins out for me ever so slightly.
Our play and the importance of the match are the most heavily weighted factors (which is why the world cup matches are better/worse than Gold Cup and WCQ). Worst: 5. USA 0 Mexico 5 GC 2009 4. USA 1 Costa Rica 3 WCQ 2009 3. USA 1 Ghana 2 WC 2006 2. USA 1 Poland 3 WC 2002 1. USA 0 Czech Rep 3 WC 2006 Best: 5. USA 1 Italy 1 WC 2006 4. USA 0 Germany 1 WC 2002 3. USA 2 Mexico 0 WC 2002 2. USA 3 Portugal 2 WC 2002 1. USA 2 Spain 0 CC 2009
Top 5 1 USA 2 Mexico 0: World Cup 2002 2 USA 2 Spain 0: Confed Cup 2009 3 Germany 1 USA 0: World Cup 2002 4 USA 2 Mexico 1: Gold Cup 2007 5 USA 3 Portugal 2: World Cup 2002 Bottom 5 1 Czech Republic 3 USA 0: World Cup 2006 2 Ghana 2 USA 1: World Cup 2006 3 Brazil 3 USA 0: Confed Cup 2009 4 Poland 3 USA 1: World Cup 2002 5 Brazil 3 USA 2: Confed Cup 2009 I put the 1-0 Germany loss from 02 in my top 5 because I couldnt have been prouder of US soccer than I was after that game, even though they lost. For the United States to flat out-play Germany in a World Cup Quarter-Final, given where we were as a team at that time, was great, and over 7 years removed from it, the loss dosent sting as much as it did originally. As for the Confed Cup final in 2009, getting there was great, but blowing a 2-0 halftime lead was gutting. The rest is pretty self explanatory.
Couldn't limit it to five: Top 10 1. USA 3-2 Portugal, WC 2002 2. USA 2-0 Mexico, WC 2002 3. USA 2-0 Spain, Confederations Cup 2009 4. USA 2-1 Mexico, Gold Cup 2007 5. USA 1-1 Italy, WC 2006 6. USA 0-1 Germany, WC 2002 7. USA 3-0 Egypt, Confederations Cup 2009 8. USA 2-0 Mexico, WC Qualifying 2005 9. USA 2-0 Mexico, WC Qualifying 2001 10. USA 2-0 Mexico, WC Qualifying 2009 Bottom 10 1. USA 0-3 Czech Republic, WC 2006 2. Costa Rica 2-0 USA, WC Qualifying 2001 3. Costa Rica 3-1 USA, WC Qualifying 2009 4. USA 1-2 Ghana, WC 2006 5. USA 2-3 Honduras, WC Qualifying 2001 6. USA 1-2 Brazil U-23, Gold Cup 2003 7. Costa Rica 3-0 USA, WC Qualifying 2005 8. Panama 1-1 USA, WC Qualifying 2004 9. Brazil 3-0 USA, Confederations Cup 2009 10. USA 1-2 England "C", Friendly 2005
Bottom 5 1. Czech Republic 0-3(World Cup 2006) 2. Mexico 0-5(Gold Cup 2009) 3. Brazil 0-3(Confederations Cup 2009) 4. Costa Rica 1-3(World Cup Qualifying 2010) 5. Ghana 1-2(World Cup 2006) Top 5 1. Mexico 2-0(World Cup 2002) 2. Portugal 3-2(World Cup 2002) 3. Spain 2-0(Confederations Cup 2009) 4. Mexico 2-1(Gold Cup 2007) 5. Egypt 3-0(Confederatiosn Cup 2009)
Bottom 5 5. Germany 0-1 (2002 WC) 4. Brazil 2-3 (2009 CC Final) 3. Brazil 0-3 (2009 CC) 2. Czech Republic 0-3 (2006 WC) 1. Ghana 1-2 (2006 WC) Top 5 5. Honduras 3-2 (2009 Away WCQ) 4. Italy 1-1 (2006 WC) 3. Mexico 2-0 (2002 WC) 2. Spain 2-0 (2009 CC) 1. Portugal 3-2 (2002 WC)
That Iran-USA game really was the lowest I've ever felt as a U.S. soccer fan, though. These games that are listed sucked to lose, but, man, some of you newcomers wouldn't believe how low we were after that game.
Just one thing to remind people about the victory vs. Spain, they were on a 35 game unbeaten run, and 15 game winning streak. Since then, they are on an 8 game winning streak. Top 5 5. Honduras 3-2 (2009 Away WCQ) 4. Egypt 2-0 (2007 CC) 3. Mexico 2-0 (2002 WC) 2. Portugal 3-2 (2002 WC) 1. Spain 2-0 (2009 CC) Bottom 5 7. Costa Rica 3-0 (2005 WCQ) 4. Honduras 3-2 (2001 WCQ) 3. Poland 3-1 (2002 WC) 2. Ghana 2-1 (2006 WC) 1. Czech Republic 3-0 (2006 WC)
Five worst (based mostly on my disgust level): 1. Costa Rica 3, US 1 (2009 WCQ) 2. Brazil 3, US 0 (2009 Confed Cup) 3. Czech Republic 3, US 0 (2006 WC) 4. Costa Rica 2, US 0 (2001 WCQ) 5. England 2, US 0 (2007 friendly) Bonus blah: 6. Poland 3, US 1 (2002 WC) was mitigated by South Korea 1, Portugal 0 7. Mexico 1, US 0 (2001 WCQ) when we had a chance to slit Mexico's throat and played like frightened pansies Five best (based on bliss factor): 1. US 3, Portugal 2 (2002 World Cup) 2. US 2, Spain 0 (2009 Confed Cup) T3. US 2, Mexico 0 (2001 WCQ); US 2, Mexico 0 (2002 WC); US 2, Mexico 0 (2005 WCQ), US 2, Mexico 0 (2009 WCQ) 4. US 2, Mexico 1 (2007 Gold Cup final) 5. US 2, Jamaica 1 (2001 WCQ; I was there) One most mixed-emotion game (there's no close second): 1. Germany 1, Torsten Frings 0 (2002 WC)
I'll just comment on the 5 best as I don't feel the need to relive the 5 worst (though I must admit sitting in that beautiful Schalke stadium in Gelsenkirchen and watching any hope for a W disappear in the first few minutes absolutely tore my heart out). 1. 2002 WC USA 3:2 Portugal To me, this its tough to argue that any game was more meaningful than this one for the US. It was the first match in the modern era that the world (and US fans) got a sense that we truly can play with the big boys. I was not able to make the world cup in Korea but my brother-in-law sat in the press box and he expressed the incredible disbelief shown by so man members of the press. This game was such an inspiration and even though we've played "better" soccer in other matches over the years I think this match was clearly the "best" overall. 2. 2002 WC USA 2:0 Mexico To date, this game is obviously the crowning achievement for the US in the modern era. That we did it against our regional rival has both advantages and disadvantages but this match was one where both the manager and the playes truly deserve tons of credit. The tactics employed by BA in this were clearly his shining moment and Landon's goal to finish the match was so much fun to watch. 3. 2009 CC USA 2:0 Spain Win against the highest ranked opponent in a competetion. We did not play beautiful soccer in that match but the game was certainly inspirational. 4. 2004 Dallas Friendly USA 1:0 Mexico Plainly, this is an odd selection and one that I can't imagine any one else will put down. However, to me, from beginning to end this was a match in which we played the "best" soccer I've seen us play throughout the course of a match. Unlike the victory against Mexico in Korea we did not play a counter game but instead dominated possession. Landon and DMB looked absolutely incredible throughout the match and the box midfield utilized by BA in this one worked to perfection. Even before Eddie Pope's sweet header to win the match at the death this was a match I thoroughly enjoyed from start to fininsh -- it demonstrate that we were not simply about heart and hustle but about flat out talent as well. 5. 2002 WC USA 0:1 Germany We played beautiful soccer at the highest level. Even in a loss this game has to be up there. Reyna almost chipping the keeper from midfield was the best moment in this match for me, bw. Honorable Mention: 2006 WC USA 1:1 Italy
I have to disagree with you on the Mexico-USA match from 2001. We went into that match a seriously hurt team: No Mathis, Wolff, Reyna, O'Brien or Pope, McBride coming back from injury, Donovan and Beasley not yet part of the senior side. We were in pretty bad shape and Mexico's back was to the wall for that match. Also, I'd add the USA-Brazil Confed Cup final to the mixed-emotions list. Sad that we lost, but proud of the first half we played.
Exactly. When people try to discredit that win, mostly foreigners (especially those that didn't earn a spot in that tournament, like the English), they just try to ignore that fact. They throw out the "they had a bad game" excuse, but you don't go 35 straight matches without having a bad game. Spain had gone like 2+ years without a loss while using dozens of different players, various quality of players, and playing different levels of quality, yet the US was still the only team to beat them. All I know is that: 2008 - Argentina was the best team in the world, and the US outplayed them for stretches during the 0-0 draw. Spain - was going for the longest winning streak in the history of international soccer, and the US punched them in the mouth for the second time in 12 months. Brazil - has now become the unquestioned best team in the world, but were made to look bad by that US squad.
Bottom 5) 2001 Honduras 2-3 (WCQ) 4) 2006 Ghana (still could have advanced!) 3) 2009 Brazil 2-3 (CC Final) 2) 2006 Czech 0-3 (four years of buildup shattered in five minutes) 1) 2002 Germany 0-1 (no matter how inspiring, what a tough defeat) Top 5) 2001 Mexico (WCQ) 4) 2007 Gold Cup vs. Mexico 2t) 2002 Mexico WC 2t) 2002 Portugal WC 1) 2009 Confed Cup vs. Spain I'd usually rate the WC ahead of the CC, but the pure magnitude of the upset over Spain puts it over the top.