Watching the replays of the just-concluded match I can't help but make comparisons to the goal Caligiuri made to push that team into the 1990 version of the WC. - On both occasions, a win was needed to advance. - Then, they still weren't favorites to advance. Many of us today still didn't think the current team could pull it off. - They played away then. While today's match was at a neutral venue it still sort of counts as being away because it was on the same continent as the Algerians. - There were as many possibilities that they would be down at least a goal as today. Amazing how life takes these strange turns.
What's amazing is that we brought amateurs (NCAA players) & semi-pros to the World Cup in 1990. Caligiuri was one of the few European based players at Meppen. The rest were at clubs like the Albany Capitals, Baltimore Blast, S.F. Bay Blackhawks, etc. We were seriously outmatched at the World Cup. That isn't ancient history. The first Bush was president. Only 20 years later, we're making the quarterfinals with players from the biggest leagues in the world.........and a few players (Donovan, Howard, Dempsey) that are truly, truly elite players. Regardless of our final position in this tournament.........the progress has been amazing.
Twenty six years ago this week, the US secured their place at the 1990 World Cup and changed soccer in the States forever: http://www.theguardian.com/football...l-caligiuri-remembers-his-billion-dollar-goal That work would begin with a team that was considered a baby side by international standards. Its average age that Sunday was 23.2. Caligiuri was the second-oldest starter (25) behind Paul Krumpe (26). Goalkeeper Tony Meola, a sophomore at the University of Virginia, was 20.