USA 3-2 Portugal
Korea/Japan 2002 | Group stage
Suwon World Cup Stadium, Suwon
Attendance: 37,306
USA goals: O’Brien (4), Jorge Costa OG (29), McBride (36)
Portugal goals: Beto (39), Agoos OG (71)
Teams
Coach: Bruce Arena
Starting XI: Brad Friedel; Frankie Hejduk, Pablo Mastroeni, Jeff Agoos, Tony Sanneh, Eddie Pope; John O’Brien, Earnie Stewart, DaMarcus Beasley, Landon Donovan; Brian McBride
Substitutions: Cobi Jones for Stewart (46), Joe Max Moore for Donovan (75), Carlos Llamosa for Pope (80)
Coach: Antonio Oliveira
Starting XI: Vitor Baia; Jorge Costa, Fernando Couto, Beto, Rui Jorge; Rui Costa, Petit; Luis Figo, Joao Pinto, Pauleta, Sergio Conceicao
Substitutions: Paulo Bento for Rui Jorge (69), Jorge Andrade for Jorge Costa (73), Nuno Gomes for Rui Costa (80)
Hitherto head-to-head record
1 USA win
2 Portugal wins
1 draw
Going into the game
After making a splash on home soil in 1994, USA fell flat at France 1998. Bruce Arena’s bunch had won the Concacaf Gold Cup earlier in the year, but with the tournament being played on the other side of the globe, expectations were considerably low going into their Group D opener against the powerful Portuguese. The most compelling story coming out of USA camp was the inclusion of a pair of 20-year-olds, Landon Donovan and DaMarcus Beasley, who just three years prior had helped the Stars and Stripes reach the FIFA U-17 World Cup™ semi-finals.
It was a different situation for Portugal. After a scintillating run to the UEFA EURO 2000 semis, all signs pointed towards title tilt for a team headlined by Real Madrid superstar Luis Figo.
Surely a squad boasting one of the most expensive men in football history, plus midfield gems Rui Costa of AC Milan and Sergio Conceicao of Inter Milan, would boss their way past a USA side that had unconvincingly finished third in Concacaf qualifying.
The game
A World Cup already full of shocks got another when USA scored the opener before both teams could break sweat. Captain Earnie Stewart’s corner was met by Brian McBride’s thumping header. Vitor Baia produced a reaction save, but the ball fell to John O’Brien, who slammed it home.
With a brazen attitude, USA used a high press to unnerve their pedigreed opponents, and it yielded a second goal when a Donovan cross ricocheted off Jorge Costa and beat the scrambling Baia. Dismay then turned to despair for Portugal, when McBride slipped into a gap and steered home a header.
Antonio Oliveira’s charges finally awoke from their slumber, and Beto’s composed finish from a rebound suggested a Portuguese comeback was on the cards. The struggling Pauleta spurned a gilt-edged chance to pull another back, but a Jeff Agoos own-goal made for an intense finale.
With the pressure at its highest and nerves at their most frayed, the Americans’ clock-management on the way to the final whistle was superb. Timely challenges from fresh-legged substitutes Joe Max-Moore and Cobi Jones, along with impeccable defending and leadership from Tony Sanneh, duly secured one of USA’s greatest triumphs.
Quotes
“To be honest with you, we should have won that game going away. We made a mistake at the end of the first half to let them score. The second half they got another goal, made things a little crazy, but we held on and did an outstanding job. It was a great accomplishment for our team.”
Bruce Arena, USA coach
“We played in a way that caught Portugal off guard, picking up the ball and attacking so quickly. It was a little bit of a perfect storm. We were really good, and they didn’t have their best day. And before you know it, the ball was in the back of the net. When it rains, it pours.”
Eddie Pope, USA defender
“We had some chances to score that, for one reason or the other, the ball didn’t go into the goal. I have to compliment all my players. They did 100 per cent of what they could do tonight. I also have to compliment the United States team. They performed very well. They did a job.”
Antonio Oliveira, Portugal coach
