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American dream U.S. holds on to upset Portugal 3-2 at World CupPosted: Wednesday June 05, 2002 4:26 AMUpdated: Wednesday June 05, 2002 11:11 PM
SUWON, South Korea (AP) -- What a way to start a World Cup. Branded last-place losers for four years, the United States gave soccer -- and the folks back home -- a wakeup call Wednesday with a shocking 3-2 upset of Portugal, the world's fifth-ranked team. "I think this victory will grab the attention of a lot of people in the United States," U.S. coach Bruce Arena said. (U.S. celebrates greatest win in 50 years.) Missing Claudio Reyna, their best player, and Clint Mathis, their most imaginative attacker, the Americans took a 3-0 lead in the first 36 minutes behind goals by John O'Brien and Brian McBride, and a cross by Landon Donovan that a Portuguese defender knocked into his own net. (Match analysis.) The U.S. players looked stunned by their success. "I think Portugal was the same way," said O'Brien, one of six American starters to make their World Cup debuts.
O'Brien scored in the fourth minute, the deflection of Donovan's pass went in in the 29th and McBride connected on a beautiful diving header in the 36th. The United States had taken its first three-goal lead in a World Cup game in 72 years. "It seemed like there was a little mist, a weird stadium and colorful seats," O'Brien said. "It was a weird night." Arena went for brash youth with speed, inserting a pair of 20-year-olds, Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, to neutralize a fast team known for its repeated attacks. The U.S. defense, maligned as it went 0-4 against European opponents in World Cup warmups, held under intense pressure from Portugal in the final 10 minutes of the first half and the first 40 minutes of the second, withstanding Luis Figo, the world's top player, and his talented teammates. The result was among the five greatest wins in U.S. soccer history: 3-0 wins over Belgium and Paraguay at the 1930 World Cup, the 1-0 upset of England at the 1950 tournament and the 2-1 win over Colombia at the Rose Bowl in 1994, when the United States was host of soccer's showcase event. "The two 20-year-olds played with the best of the world and did very well. They were terrific," said Robert Contiguglia, the U.S. Soccer Federation president. With Wednesday's win, they head into their remaining first-round games against co-host South Korea and Poland with a good chance to advance. The South Koreans opened Tuesday with a 2-0 upset of Poland. "This World Cup is not over," Arena said. "We've got to prepare for Korea, and our goal is to win that game." Portugal, a semifinalist at the European Championship two years ago, is led by a "Golden Generation" and is making its first World Cup appearance in 16 years. The Portuguese closed on Beto's goal in the 39th and an own goal by American defender Jeff Agoos, who tried to clear a cross by Pauleta in the 71st, but instead kicked it past U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel. "Probably we missed some luck along the way, but that is not an excuse,' Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira said. He also blamed the long European club season, which ended on May 15, and ignored that 12 of the 23 U.S. players are with European teams. "The U.S. has been preparing the last six months," Oliveira said. "We came together a couple of weeks ago." Portugal controlled the midfield and pressed throughout the second half, when the Americans often had just one or two players past midfield. At the end of the game, after killing much of the last five minutes with time-wasting, U.S. players ran out onto the field and jumped into each other's arms. Four years ago, the Americans lost to Germany, Iran and Yugoslavia in the first round and took a major step backward from 1994, when they were host of the tournament and advanced to the second round.
"That was never in the back of our minds," McBride said. Even before the game, which started at 5 a.m. EDT, American fans showed just how far the sport has come in the United States. Several hundred from Sam's Army, the team's support group, greeted the Portuguese with chants of "Over-rated!" Moments before the second American goal, they were chanting "Adios Amigos!" (U.S. completes CONCACAF hat trick.) While the U.S. team is obscured in its nation by the NBA and Stanley Cup Finals, the Belmont Stakes and Mike Tyson's fight against Lennox Lewis, the Portuguese looked as if they were playing with the weight of their nation on their shoulders. When Pauleta, the forward who led the French League in scoring, missed a chance in just the 22nd minute, he grimaced and bit the top of his uniform jersey. "Going back 3-0 in a World Cup, it's very hard to come back," Figo said. The American team entered 1-8-1 since returning to the World Cup in 1990 following a 40-year absence, including 0-6-1 against European nations. The United States had lost five straight since its 1994 2-1 upset of Colombia at the Rose Bowl. Earnie Stewart, the captain in Reyna's absence, sparked the scoring spree with a corner kick, but came out at halftime because of tightness in his left leg and sounded worried. "I don't think it's just tightness," he said. Stewart's corner kick went to McBride, whose header bounced off the left hand of goalkeeper Vitor Baia and went to O'Brien. When he knocked in the rebound, he gave the United States its first lead in 454 minutes of World Cup play. Donovan created the second goal when his shot from an extreme angle deflected off the head of Jorge Costa and went past Baia. McBride, who got the lone U.S. goal during the 1998 tournament, made it 3-0 with the header off across from Tony Sanneh. "The ball got wide to Tony," McBride said. "I took a step to the near post and lost my defenders." U.S. players, unaccustomed to the position, looked joyous and shocked. Portugal scored three minutes later off a corner kick by Figo that went to Beto. O'Brien tried to clear the header, but the ball bounced back to Beto, whose second shot beat Friedel. After that, it was time for the defense to hold on, and the own goal by Agoos cut the margin to one. "We just went out on the field and did it," Sanneh said. Notes: Beasley got the only U.S. yellow card. ... Portugal outshot the United States 12-10, but the Americans had a 5-3 advantage in shots on goal. ... Cobi Jones came in at halftime for Stewart, Joe Max-Moore replaced Donovan in the 75th, and Carlos Llamosa subbed for Eddie Pope in the 80th. Moore was masterful at time wasting... The match was to be rebroadcast in the United States on ESPN2 at 3 p.m. ET. SummaryUnited States 3 Portugal 2 - result World Cup, group D Scorers: United States - John O'Brien 4, Landon Donovan 29, Brian McBride 36 Portugal - Beto Severo 39, Jeff Agoos 71og Yellow cards: United States - DaMarcus Beasley 90 Portugal - Beto Severo 34, Armando Petit 52 Halftime: 3-0; Attendance: 37,306 Teams: United States (5-4-1): 1-Brad Friedel; 2-Frankie Hejduk, 4-Pablo Mastroeni, 12-Jeff Agoos, 22-Tony Sanneh, 23-Eddie Pope (16-Carlos Llamosa 80); 5-John O'Brien, 8-Earnie Stewart (13-Cobi Jones 46), 17-DaMarcus Beasley, 21-Landon Donovan (9-Joe-Max Moore 75); 20-Brian McBride. Portugal (4-4-2): 1-Vitor Baia; 2-Jorge Costa (13-Jorge Andrade 73), 22-Beto Severo, 5-Fernando Couto, 23-Rui Jorge (17-Paulo Bento 69); 20-Armando Petit, 11-Sergio Conceicao, 10-Rui Costa (21-Nuno Gomes 80), 7-Luis Figo; 8-Joao Pinto, 9-Pauleta. Match Referee: Byron Moreno (Ecuador) Linesmen: Bomer Fierro (Ecuador), Awni Hassouneh (Jordan)
Reuters contributed to this report. |
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Landon Donovan hopes the amazing upset of Portugal will spark interest in the sport among Americans. 
