The next US-Mexico clash is only a few weeks away. I was wondering what everyone best and worst memories in the history of the rivalry are. And also what they consider to be the best and most exciting game. Leaving aside the second round game in the WC last year for a moment (since that was clearly the greatest moment for the U.S. in the rivalry) my favorite memory was probably the October 2000 game which was Landon Donovan's first cap. Donovan, Wolff, and Mathis absolutely ran rings around the Mexican defense and the game marked the emergence of a new type of American attacker in my opinion. Guys with speed, skill, creativty and chutzpah who were unafraid and willing to take on the defense. The U.S. won at the L.A Coliseum in front of over 61,000 Mexican fans on two world class goals by Donovan and Wolff all the while displaying an offensive flair which was impressive and rarely seen before. (Honorable Mention, the 1-0 U.S. victory just before the '94 WC in front of 90,000 Mexican fans in the Rose Bowl) My worst memory was probably the U.S. Cup game in '97. It was the second of three losses the U.S. would suffer in that competion while scoring only 1 goal (albeit with a "B" team). It was also the game Ramon Ramirez visciously kicked Alexi Lalas in the groin and somehow only received a yellow card. The U.S. absorbed cheap shot after cheap shot and were denied a clear penalty when Cobi Jones was body blocked in the box in the 2-0 loss. The U.S. showed little heart and fight and seemed to take the abuse and the loss rather meekly. Believe it or not it was also the first time the U.S. had lost to Mexico in the U.S. since 1980 IIRC. Not a good moment for U.S. Soccer. The best overall game was probably the WCQer in Foxboro later in '97. It started out with a comical mistake by Kasey Keller when his clearance went off of Carlos Hermosillo's head into the net. The U.S. equalized through Eddie Pope later in the half. The second half was an exciting, nailbiting, back and forth affair in which Luis Hernandez scored and the U.S. equalized on an own goal. The U.S. finished with a flurry after Hernandez was sent off creating chance after chance until the final whistle. It was also one of the few times up until that point that the U.S. had a real home field advantage. The pro-U.S. crowd was absolutely great. It truly was a great game without any of the chippiness or bad blood usually seen when these teams meet. Those are my memories. I'd love to hear from everyone else.
#1 lowlight Marquez triple-crippler cheap shot on Jones in WC 2002. This was the weakest, most unsportmanlike play I've ever seen. He simultaneously kicked, hit and head-butted Jones all while 'attempting' to head the ball. What a terrible example for your Mexian soccer players. Hey, Mexico, who won that game anyway?
I'm a huge fan of Josh Wolff's goal in Columbus. There's a highlight video of that match somewhere on here.
Yeah that a a great game also. Wolff finshed that goal off of a great pass by Mathis too. He set up the second goal with a great individual effort as well.
My favorite moment has to be the WC in '02. The US has a lot of wins against quality opponents, but they're usually in friendlies or in competitions that other teams aren't taking too seriously. However, to win in THE competition, when everything is on the line. It's an unforgettable moment. The win against Mexico in Columbus was also satisfying, especially because I was able to be there in person. However, it was the very first game of the qualifying process, and Mexico was able to come away with a loss without it sending them out of the competition. The worst game? I'd have to go back some time because it's been awhile. The game at the Azteca during qualifying was no fun. The US was at the cusp of demonstrating that it was going to be a power in Concacaf and also had the opportunity to show the ruthlesness needed in a winning team by going to Mexico and beating them, sending them out of the competition. At that time, if Mexico had lost, it was the general consensus that they would not qualify for '02. Instead, Mexico beat us and went on to win other important games in time to qualify for the WC. As for the US, we played a horribly uninspired and frightened game against Mexico and then we went on to tank quite a few more games during the remainder of the qualifying process. Whatever prestige we had built up with our early wins was whittled away. By the end, Costa Rica came out on top, Mexico 2nd, and we were the third-place qualifiers out of our group. Maybe the best example of why this game against Mexico in the Azteca was so painful can be summarized by the recently departed Norberto Longo. After our early wins during qualifying, he began to describe the US in respectful terms as a powerful team and a power in the region. After Mexico, the game against Honduras in DC, etc.... Longo returned to his old theatrics of describing the US as a team with "mucha entrega, pero poco futbol." Actually, what grates me about qualifying was the description by the announcer in La Jugada, which is a spanish futbol program played on Galavision, produced by Televisa. His words, when the US began so well in qualifying for '02: "Andan de suerte, los norteamericanos." Basically, we were just getting lucky. It hurt when we started tanking after the game at the Azteca and it looked like he was right. So, I guess it's a long way of saying that the game against Mexico at the Azteca during qualifying for '02 hurts the most, and that's because it exposed the US as not a dominant Concacaf power, like Italy in Uefa or Argentina in Comebol, but still a team with ups and downs.
WC "02 a great game? Now I haven't seen a tape of this game since the Cup, but as I recall we (being the US) really din't play such a great game. As I remember it we bunkered in the entire game, and got a couple of lucky strikes. I also remember Blanco taking some cheap shots, but all in all I thought we were outplayed, unlike the qualifier, where we played a more dominant game. Result a high, effort a recent low.
Since we can't pick the WC 2002 game Best highlight for me was a tie between the Columbus qualifier where the 90th minute singing almost brought me to tears in my apartment and the 1995 4-0 butt whipping we put on them at RFK right before the Copa America. We destroyed them on that hot June afternoon and I remember Eric Wynalda putting such amove on the Mexican right back that I thought he was the best American I had ever seen, right then and there. Worst? 4-0 loss in the 1993 Gold Cup final in Mexico City equalled only by our 1-0 disapearing act during qualifiers.
Best: Beating them 2-0. Worst: When seeing how they knew they weren't going to win, they began to think soccer was hockey and rugby when they started fouling like crazy. Got several yellows and a red cards.
Re: WC "02 a great game? It definitely wasn't an attractive game, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that it was not at least a very well played game on the US Nats' part. Arena had a game plan and got his guys to stick to it and execute it. He took advantage of the possession style Mexico likes to play and frustrated them by focusing on solid defending and quick counters. It was a well planned and well executed game which yielded a very favorable result for them. ricv56
Re: Re: WC "02 a great game? And if you remember, one reason for the game plan was the U.S. was coming off 3 days rest (or 2) while Mexico was coming off 5 days rest (or 4). Arena knew our legs couldn't get in a run and gun game so strategized accordingly. Already looking towards the next WCQ, where I will be there or be square.