The one that got us started was O'Brien's. The one that gave me something to cheer about being the only American in the room was Mathis' vs. Korea. However, the one that still gives me chills when I see it is Donovan's header v. Mexico. There's just something so perfect and so instinctive about it. So I had to go for that one.
I remember that sinking feeling my wife and I had in the first twenty minutes of the Korea game...feeling like our guys were already panicking. Things didn't look good, we were both afraid that something would go wrong, we'd finally give up a goal, and find ourselves in a deep hole. And then...something went incredibly RIGHT--that great pass from O'Brien, and that cool-as-ice finish from Mathis. And we both believed again.
The thing that I love about any "Best Goal" discussions is that there is no critera. Do you go with the best finish, the best build up, the importance of the goal, the situation, the time in the game.... It reminds me of when people debate their favorite albums of a particular band. There really is no right answer, as it all means something special to different people. As for my vote, I went with McBride v. Mexico. When I think of best goals, I take everything into account, not just one aspect (I'm not saying this is the definitive way, just what I use.) Here we are playing in the second round of the World Cup against our biggest rivals. Reyna absolutely burns down the right wing (something I never would have predicted), finds Wolff with the precision pass. Wolff, realizing he has nowhere to go, has the presence to dump the ball back quickly. McBride pounces on the opportunity and cooly slots the ball home. The fact that we scores early changes the whole complexity of the game and gave us immense confidence for the rest of the game.
JOB's-- because if he would have shanked that one, the whole tournament would have been different from a confidence standpoint (not to mention we would have tied Portugal and then Portugal and SK would have advanced).
WHile I'm not sure that I would vote it the best, I would like to put a word in for the Donovan goal against Mexico. Like the McBride goal against Mexico (and als olike the McBride goal against Protugal which had a six-touch buildup that started on the back line) the Donovan goal really had a wonderful build also. Sanneh collects an errant pass and lays it to Reyna. Reyna looks up sees nothing and switches the field to a wide-open O'Brien. You see Lewis behind O'Brien out on the wing as he receives the ball. He takes off on a full sprint into a tired Mexican defense. O'Brien hits a perfect long-ball right into his path as he splits the defender and midfielder. Then ... watch Lewis' first touch, a little hitch-kick. H doesn't break stride at all. He takes it in one fluid motion. then hits a perfet cross, which draws Perez out a few steps before retreating, gertting him mildly out of position. Then Donovan, who had been circling ner the top of the box, sprints under the ball and gives yup the ear for the good of the tem. Great goal in its own right.
That's not true. If O'Brien doesn't make that goal, a whole number of different things happen. It's foolish to say then we certainly would've scored two more goals after an O'Brien shank.
I was going to explain why I voted for Donovan's Mexico goal,but Ghost broke it down better than I could.
i pick the JOB goal to open the WC. True, the actual kick required little skill, but everything around it - the perfect corner by Stewart, the powerful header by McBride and most importantly, the super enthusiatic finish by O'Brien put US soccer on the map. That moment early in the first game showed that we should be taken seriosuly as a football nation. It happened early and with authority. what I loved is that JOB didnt tap it in, he kicked the living crap out of the ball! I have a picture of it as my wallpaper...
Yep, I voted for that one. Great long ball from O'Brien, great run by Lewis, and his swerving cross hits Donovan in stride...unreal. Personally, I think you can argue that (at least before the Germany game) the US had some of the best finishing skills at this WC. If you look at how clinical the McBride goals were, same with Donovan's and Mathis'. O'Brien's, while off a rebound was cooly put away as well.
It wasn't that we didn't have good finishing against germany, it was that Kahn was better than Hong-yon-wang-jan, Baia, Perez, and even Dudek
I was there. Our "best" goal, sad to say was Agoos'. It was a classic. The "most important" was the one scored by Korea over Portugal. Since those aren't part of the poll, I won't vote, but I will share my impressions. 1. John O'Brien: Stunning. Shocking, not even our first good chance. 5 minutes in and we're leading. My emotions were unchartable. This was a great clinical slammed home goal. A fine strike, indeed. 2. Jorge Costa (OG): I was openly weeping. In fact, I'm tearing up thinking about it. Goals happen (e.g. O'Brien), but this put us up 2-nil. Holy cow. If not deflected, it would not have gone in, so this definitely was an own goal. 3. Brian McBride: Beautiful, but not as impressive as O'Briens. 4. Clint Mathis: Wow. A goal scorer's goal. Just the right touch at just the right time. Subtle, yet powerful. Too bad it didn't have many buddies in the box score. 5. Landon Donovan: Who cares. It was nice, but the game was over at that point and all that mattered was what was happening in Incheon. 6. Brian McBride: On par with O'Brien's strike. A great ball, slammed home. Not many things as wonderful as a full forced kick from short range into the side netting. 7. Landon Donovan: Celebration time. The stake through the heart of Mexico. They controlled the play, yet we were the more dangerous side. We definitely need this goal. Great finish. Someone else (Earnie?) missed an identical Lewis cross.
mr. mead, your soccer pictures are grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrreat!!! could you please take more pics of taylor twellman and post them at your website? you'd make a lot of youngsters happy... ...CIAO! ...The SurfDiva
Even though I think Mathis' was definitely the most skillful of the goals listed, I voted for McBride VS Portugal for the same reason kebzach did. I was seeing that goal before Sanneh even hit the cross. It was an amazing experience because I could see the goal before it happened and I had chills from the moment Sanneh's foot hit the ball because I knew what the significance of the goal would be.
Reyna's volley is close, but Donovan's nutmeg in the Germany game which was followed by a crushed drive to the left corner that Kahn somehow managed to get the tiniest fingertip on was an almost goal that would have had me shaking my head in wonder. I've never seen a U.S. player _ever_ put moves on like Donovan did there.
i voted for mathis goal, it was an amazing pass from o'brien and mathis just finished the job, with an incredible trap, and i nice left foot goal!!!
My $0.02 is for the Donovan goal against Mexico b/c it put the game away and clinched our way into the quarterfinals.
I voted for Clint's goal in spite of Bruce telling us that we should believe Clint to be an overweight lazy slug.
They were all good goals. I voted for JOB's goal because it was the start of something great for the USA in the World Cup, but the Mathis goal was important and masterful. I don't think it matters so much which was the "best". Just that there are more in the future.
Too bad Donovan's goal against Poland was meaningless. Otherwise, it was actually a nice one. Jones lobs it in the air. Then Mathis one times it with a header to Donovan. Donovan then one times his shot.
Those were some damn nice goals eh fellas? I don't think we should bother picking one but if donovan burries the german one we wouldn't be choosing one anyway.