We should all be getting our highlight DVDs soon, and it's probably at least two years until the qualifiers start, so here's the question. Which of the Nats seven wonderful goals at the World Cup was the best? (and how nice to have seven to choose from, instead of one in 98). Okay, I can only list 6, so I'll take out the own goal...
Agoos' was amazing. I'd say for the shear beauty, the McBride goal against Mexico was the best. The setup from Reyna and Wolff, and the finish by McBride was amazing. A close second is McBride's goal against Portugal, which stood up to be the game winner, also a very pretty play, great finish.
I had to go for the McBride portugal goal...that was before I truly thought that we had a legit shot at quarterfinal/semi-final action, and while watching that game at 4:30am central time, seeing the ball played out for Tony, I could just tell what was coming next. I was out of bed before the ball was crossed. I was running down the hall as McBride struck it. I leaped over the couch in the living room and saw the ball go in on my living room TV. I then just stood there in amazement. That was definately the moment of the WC for me.
I'm going with the O'Brien goal simply because that was our first breath of hope in the tourney. It was a shocking surprise and in my mind ranks in the top 3 most important goals in modern US history--the goal against T&T to qualify US for 1990 Cup is the other (though I've never actually seen it) and the Ernie Stewart goal against Columbia are the other two. In terms of beauty, I think the Mathis and two McBride goals were better. But JOB's was the most important
JOB's goal was by far the most important, but much credit should go to McBride for that one. However, for sheer class and skill and the goal which put us in the second round you have to go with the Mathis strike. Clinical.
Yeah, I went with McBride's first against Mexico because it had three lovely touches. Second I'd put Mathis because it was such a lovely pass from O'Brien and a cool finish. Plus, a high pressure came against the Koreans at home... Next, McBride's header on that amazing 40 yard cross from Sanneh... They were all works of art...
The BEST goal, not the 'most important'. And that is without question Mathis against SK. Full pace, over his other shoulder, trap with right foot, one bounce, shot with left (he's a righty), keeper never has a chance, peace signs to Sam's Army. From beginning to end, it was one cool mother effing goal. Anyone who votes otherwise knows about as much about soccer as SoccerScout.
I voted for JOB. got the ball rolling and gave the players confidence for everything else that they would do.
I think it's a combination of the art of the goal itself, and the situtation. Brazil's last goal in the 1970 World Cup final is routinely cited as one of the greatest ever, even though the final shot itself was a pretty straight forward drive by Carlos Alberto off a Pele pass: but it was all the passes that led up to it, and the fact that it was the punctuation mark at the end of a tourney by the greatest team of all time that gives it its specialness...
That's why I voted for McBride's goal against Mexico, as much as I wanted to vote for Mathis. Reyna's run up the right and how coolly he poked it by the sliding Mexican player. Wolff touching the pass back to McBride, who buried it. The part I liked best was the complete disarray the Mexican defense. When Wolff dropped the ball off, you see three defenders lunge toward the ball, hoping they make some contact with it and knock it clear. The Mexican defense. There is no other team in the world it is more satisfying to see scrambling around, not knowing who to mark, then the most bitter rival.
i voted for the McBride goal against portugal. perfect overlap pass from donovan to sanneh. And McBrides finishing was beautiful. (my 2nd choice would be Mathis' goal)
In my opinion, the McBride goal against Portugal and the Donovan goal against Mexico were nice goals, but goals we nonetheless see frequently in good club level compotition. The McBride Mexico goal stands out as it was started with a thrashing 40 yard run by Reyna to the endline who then sees Wolff with little flick, who then gives a no look back pass into space where he thought McBride SHOULD be (Wolff did not see McBride when he made the pass) and McBride receives the ball 5 to 7 yards into the box completely unmarked and slots it past the keeper. Total one touch devastation of the Mexican back line. On the other hand, the Mathis goal started with a nice Beasley JOB combination near midfield following which JOB charges up the field leaving his closest defender behind and looks up and sees several heads converging and he passes to the mohawk (yes, JOB actually said post game he was targeting the mohawk). The mohawk brings the ball down with his right and in one seemless notion crushes the ball with his left the into corner. The Mathis goal leaves one in awe with its stunning simplicity (trap with one leg and shoot with the other), but he pulled it off on the biggest stage in the world with the SK defense closing in quickly. Any hesitation on Mathis' motion and the ball is cleared away. It was also a goal which I suspect no other US player could have pulled off in that situation. Finally, and I was in the crowd, it came at a time in the game when SK had been bringing heavy pressure and the crowd was nuts. The goal silenced the crowd and knocked them off their game for a good while. Going down a goal in that game woud have been very difficult, so being up for much of the game was essential to our tie, which in turn was essential to our advance into the round of 16. Thus the Mathis goal gets my vote.
i gotta say mcbride vs mexico he sets the whole thing up with the quick restart to reyna... who takes it to the endline and crosses to wolff who redirects it out towards the top of the box where mcbride hammers it past a diving keeper fast, quick thinking, world class play start to finish amazing
You know, both of McBride's goals were basically served on a platter. The goal was so clear, his only worry was not to miss it. The Mathis goal on the other hand was no sure bet. I couldn't agree more with RickDavis and his description of the Mathis goal. Who else could bring a ball down in the middle of suffocating defence with one touch, and without hesitating, shoot with his left? I don't see any other US Nat pulling this one out.
Definitely Mathis. The goal was a thing of beauty to start with, trapping and firing in one fluid motion -- combined with rocket power and absolute perfect placement -- but when you add the pressure of the situation to it, it becomes the best goal. To score that kind of goal under normal circumstances is something special, to score like that in a world cup against the hosts is sensational. McBride's second goal is a close runner-up however, the buildup was beautiful with Claudio's run and Wolff's nice little flick back, and the finish wasn't quite as easy as people think, firing through a crowd of Mexican defenders.
In summation: Most Important: JOB v. Portugal Most Spectacular: McBride v. Portugal Most Skillful: Mathis v. S. Korea Best Build-up: McBride v. Mexico
best almost goal all i can think about is how amazing it would have been to see earnie stewart hit that flying scissor volley. or reyna's midfield volley against germany.
I would have to go with Donovan's goal against Mexico since that was the icing on the cake. It was also the last goal we scored.
If it was pure skill it was Mathis. He is the best finisher the US has, plain and simple. The most emotion I felt, so hard to tell but i can rule out the Poland one.
Mathis' surgical strike was not only the best goal for the US, but arguably one of the best goals of the tourney.
It was a great strike. But I think the most emotional one was O'Brien against Portugal. Just the emotion that you felt was incredible.