USMNT History at the WC

Seeing the 'Shot heard around the World' was inspiration at starting a thread that takes a look at how the Nats have done at the previous 6 World Cups starting in 1990. A couple of patterns are evident when analyzing how we've done throughout the years; the US has progressed to the knockout stages every other attempt which doesn't bode well this time around, the first game of each tournament has not been a strong point for the US (1 win, 3 losses, and 2 draws), even in the years we did progress it took some help from another team in that final match, and finally the US has generally played 1 good match, 1 average match, and 1 clunker per group stage.

1990: US 1-5 Czech
US 0-1 Italy
US 1-2 Austria. The middle match was the one where respect for the US was earned, and world wide concern for us hosting subsided.

1994: US 1-1 Switzerland
US 2-0 Columbia
US 0-1 Romania
US 0-1 Brazil. The win over Columbia is the one everyone remembers, but the Columbian's 2-0 win over the Swiss in the last group match propelled us to the knockout stage after our loss to Romania.

1998: US 0-2 Germany
US 1-2 Iran
US 0-1 Yugoslavia. Little did we know of the Harkes scandal at that time. Looking back that was a group we should of progressed from.

2002: US 3-2 Portugal
US 1-1 South Korea
US 1-3 Poland
US 2-0 Mexico
US 0-1 Germany Lost in that great run to the Quarterfinal was the 3rd match debacle against Poland, and it was only the referee in charge of the corresponding Portugal-South Korea match (Portugal got screwed) that saw us through.

2006: US 0-3 Czech
US 1-1 Italy
US 1-2 Ghana 06' was considered a failure, but the lads played a heroic match against the eventual champs in Italy, and had so many opportunities to score against Ghana along with 2 calamitous mistakes by Reyna and Boca that led to their goals belied how we played that tournament.

2010: US 1-1 England
US 2-2 Slovenia
US 1-0 Algeria
US 1-2 Ghana Justice was served in getting that late Donovan goal since not getting the winning goal the match before was a joke. Still disappointed that we didn't win that last match in regulation time when we had our chances to do so.


So in 6 World Cups after our 40 year hiatus the USMNT has a record of 4 wins, 13 losses, 5 draws. In other words, not great :roll: Considering we've only won 1 opening match this is a big mountain to climb. The one opening match we did win, was a shocker to say the least. Portugal came out flat and over-confident. Skip ahead 12 years and most of the current Portugese team were 12-17 year old kids that were probably heartbroken at the time. There will be no sneaking up on them in 2014.

 

Thanks Joe, for just adding to my growing sense of pessimism! :angry-banghead:

Kidding, but not really. :lol:

 

Good thread, thanks SCJ. Now:

:doh:

 

Nice Joe. Thx. Lots of memories there. The 2006 Italy match is what started it all for me. And I still can't get over edu's disallowed goal and the venom in Michael Bradley's eyes as he approached the ref. I wonder if he would react as hotly today as he did back then.

 

Mo, MB has matured so I don't think we would see him like he did post match again. Just hope we don't get such an egregious call as that one on Edu's goal to find out.

Found some mediocre highlights to that '06 Italy game. What a riveting match, from the thrill of tying it on the own goal, to Di Rossi's elbow on McBride and subsequent iconic blood stream image down Big Mac's face, to Pablo acting the fool, to Eddie Pope's dismissal (his first yellow card I remember being a terrible call), and finally down to 9 men gutting out the tie (and almost winning it).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqnmbjE8i6E

 

For all you faux denim lovers out there:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fhfvIRrC8jY

The Silverdome at it's peak, a far cry from the depressing pics on the thread about the abandoned stadium a month or so ago. Quick, who was the Swiss national coach?? A not so subtle clue: He was on our touchline in Hamburg.

 

Too easy Joe. my beloved manager. Those were the days back when he was at Fulham's helm. Watching and rooting for England this world cup.

 

One of the few highlights of the recent US - Azerbijian match in SF was putting a face to the voice of the great John Champion who is fantastic at play by play. Champion is in charge of this monumental USMNT upset. I remember waking up late in the middle of the night (I think it was 2:30 on the left coast) and expecting one of the pre-tournament favorites to smack our boys around, how fun it was to be wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rX1bbTaJ40

 

"This is fantasy soccer."

Great memories of my roomies and I doing the same, SCJ - late night, sleepy-eyed match viewing. With a few Heinekens involved as well. As the Replacements once sang, Beer for Breakfast.