Match analysis

U.S. makes soccer history in 36 minutes

SUWON, South Korea (Reuters) -- The United States clinched its greatest triumph in the modern era of professional soccer on Wednesday when it upset fancied Portugal 3-2 with the most devastating first half of its footballing history.

Goals from midfielders John O'Brien and Landon Donovan and forward Brian McBride in the first 36 minutes of their Group D clash set the Americans on their way to the most significant victory since they beat England 1-0 at the 1950 finals.

The U.S., who lost all of their games at the 1998 tournament, last won a match in the finals in 1994 on their home soil. They beat Colombia 2-1 and went on to reach the second round where they lost to Brazil.

But Wednesday's result was against one of the pre-tournament favorites who had come to the finals in South Korea and Japan having scored more goals in the qualifying than any other European team.

"In the modern era this is the best result the U.S. team has had," U.S. coach Bruce Arena said.

The U.S. is the only country outside of Europe and South America to have reached the semifinals of the World Cup -- in 1930 when they lost to Argentina in a depleted tournament.

But the country's World Cup glory days largely belong to an era that hardly anyone on the planet is still alive to remember.

The last time they Americans scored three goals in a game at the finals before Wednesday was at that tournament in Uruguay 72 years ago in the first World Cup.

The defeat of Portugal, the Euro 2000 semifinalists, was only their third against a European team at the World Cup after Belgium in 1930 and the victory over England 52 years ago.

It may take some time for the significance of the victory to sink into the players' minds.

"If someone had handed me a piece of paper before the game and said 3-3 is going to be the score, I think we would have taken it and run," goalkeeper Brad Friedel said.

But the victory will grab attention for football in the U.S. where soccer still struggles to compete against the traditional U.S. sports of basketball, American football, baseball and ice hockey despite staging the 1994 tournament.

Deserved victory

More importantly, the Americans deserved their victory. At the 1990 finals in Italy, their first tournament since 1950, their tactics were naive and they went out after the first round without a win.

In 1994 they managed to get past a group containing Colombia, Switzerland and Romania but failed at the next hurdle against Brazil.

But, after losing every game in 1998 in France, they deserved their victory on Wednesday with a very physical and tactically shrewd performance.

The Portuguese, appearing at their first finals since 1986, pulled a goal back just before the interval from defender Beto Severo.

After piling on the pressure in the second half, an own goal from U.S. defender Jeff Agoos put them within striking range.

But their usually dynamic midfielder Rui Costa failed to produce inspiration in the center of the park and 2001 World player-of-the-year Luis Figo could not stamp his authority on the game.

Portugal forward Pauleta lacked his usual sharpness in front of goal, putting a good chance over the bar in the second half which he would usually have buried.

Interestingly, the Americans seemed to show higher fitness levels than their opponents and played the game at a high tempo.

"We were aware of the problems the U.S. would create for us and they were very strong," Portugal coach Antonio Oliveira admitted.

"We have a lot of problems imposing our game. We did everything to get a draw. But the World Cup is a tough competition.

 

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