USA x BRAZIL : Retrospective

The USA and Brazil have played 13 times according to eloratings.net (friendlies or friendly tournaments unless otherwise specified):

Code:

08/17/30	Brazil 4:3 USA		in Brazil
05/28/76	USA 0:2 Brazil		in USA
02/26/92	Brazil 3:0 USA		in Brazil
08/02/92	USA 0:1 Brazil		in USA
06/06/93	USA 0:2 Brazil		in USA
07/04/94	USA 0:1 Brazil		in USA (World Cup)
07/20/95	Brazil 1:0 USA		in Uruguay (Copa America)
01/18/96	USA 0:1 Brazil		in USA (Gold Cup)
02/10/98	USA 1:0 Brazil		in USA (Gold Cup)
07/28/99	Brazil 1:0 USA		in Mexico (Confed Cup)
03/03/01	USA 1:2 Brazil		in USA
06/21/03	Brazil 1:0 USA		in France (Confed Cup)
07/23/03	USA 1:2 Brazil (aet)	in USA (Gold Cup)

9 of the last 10, and 10 of 13 all-time, have been decided by one goal.

 

Pretty good statistics for the US

 

You know this proves my point...USA just didnt get good at the WC2002. Remember WC94? They played Brazil and did pretty good actually. They were a threat. But of course the US didnt raise heads til 2002.

 

that WC 1994 game was ugly.Brazil had 10 men against 11 and the USA still could not get a touch.We sucked, were embarrassingly bad.PLease do not be fooled by the score.

 

We were never in the 94 game. We had maybe one bad scoring chance even though the game went 0-1 Brazil. You can dominate a team bad and only win 1-0.

The real point is keep the game close and if you catch a break or get a goal you can draw or even win.

 

I would not be pleased if we have a 1-12 record in our next 13 games with Brazil. Especially since we had 8 home games, 2 away, and 3 at neutral venues. In the one win, IIRC, we were also dominated by Brazil, but Keller had the game of his life. A Brazilian (Romario?) said it was the best game he had ever seen from a GK and that it was an honor to play on the same field with Keller.

But, I do see your point. We haven't been embarrassed playing Brazil. The record certainly suggests that we do not suck like some seem to think (and the record covers a time period when we were admittedly not as good as we are now). I just think we can do better in the future.

 

Because we've played not to be embarrassed, rather than play an attacking game and go down in flames like Costa Rica did in '02.

The trouble is, playing not to be embarrassed almost always means a loss, because the U.S. is unlikely to score and Brazil almost never is shut out.

We have demonstrated that we can lose with dignity against Brazil, but so far no more than that.

 

You can look up the historical record of any team at http://www.fifa.com/en/mens/results/resultsdetails.html and tailor your search by opponent, date, and type of match.

You can also look up a team's record at http://www.eloratings.net/ but you cannot run specific searches, like on the FIFA site.

Note, ELO includes a few more games than what FIFA deems official in their historical data base.

 

I'm not sure we've always played not to be embarrassed (at least for most of the games I can recall). I think of that style of play as almost giving up any opportunity of attack and bunkering down on defense from the beginning.

We certainly have played conservatively, but the USA almost never plays an attacking game against a quality opponent. I'd characterize our play against Brazil as defensive, but willing to counterattack, rather than simply packing the defense and hoping to keep the score close. Unfortunately, with Brazil, we just haven't been good enough to make this strategy successful very often, even though I think it's a better way to go against Brazil (at least for the USA) than the Costa Rican way. To me, there's a subtle but important difference there, even if it's one of degree than kind. Then again, perhaps I'm just quibbling.

Agree.

Agree. Regardless of any quibbling about the style of our play against Brazil, this is indeed the bottom line.

 

So until our victory in 1998, we hadn't scored on Brazil in 68 years. In fact we've gotten only 6 goals total; 3 of those in a game in 1930. This is complete and total domination by Brazil. The previous poster was correct about our one victory. That game was won due to Kasey Keller, period. Trivia question: Who scored the only game-winning goal vs. Brazil?

 

preki

 

Off a typical Preki "cut-back and shoot" move too.

 

No, you're correct. Your description was more accurate than mine.

 

Or in the case of US vs Germany, you can dominate the whole game and lose by one!

 

IIRC, the 99 confed cup game was Brazil's under-21 team. I remember rooting for them in the final because if they won, the US would have gotten to play again for the championship with Mexico. Mex won, tho.

 

Wrong tournament, wrong team. That was the 2003 Gold Cup, and it was Brazil's U-23 team, not U-21.

 

Left footed shot moving to his left from the guy from KC forget his name.

 

We were definitely out our league in 94. However; Ramos played one of the best halves of football ever played by an american until he was shamefully assalted. Its just makes me sick that we didn't have a team that could make Brazil pay for it.

 

I'm just amazed that we were able to hang, 0:2, with any Brazillian team in 1976.

That 3:4 loss in 1930 in Brazil is an interesting one as well, although IIRC Brazil had not yet gained their status as the dominant force in football and Uruguary were the team back then. Too bad soccer didn't take hold back then -- we'd have won a couple of World Cups by now and footie instead of pointy ball would probably be the dominant game in the USA.

 

One game I remember we outplayed Brazil and lost was the Confed's Cup game down in Mexico. Our defense played nearly flawless and I think Brazil only had one good scoring chance, unfortunately Ronaldinho made it. USA, even had a penalty kick, and unfortunately the reliable Joe-Max Moore missed it. And yes, we had a lot of scoring chances.

 

i have to wholeheartedly agree with this, as much as it pains me to say so.....