By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
Editor’s be aware: Each day between now and the kickoff of the primary match of the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Nov. 20, we’ll unveil a completely different reminiscence from World Cup historical past. The countdown from 101 continues with “Dos a Cero.”
The United States had shocked Portugal — one of many pre match favorites — of their 2002 opener. They’d tied co-host South Korea of their second group stage recreation. Yet right here they had been on the point of elimination, down 3-1 to Poland late of their third earlier than the Koreans gave them a present by Portuguese out and sending the US on to the knockout stage.
The Americans acquired one other present within the spherical of 16: a date with neighbor and chief rival Mexico.
It wasn’t that El Tri was weak; Javier Aguirre’ group had shocked most observers by topping a group that contained three time champion Italy. (The Azzurri would win a fourth title 4 years later.)
Mexico was a acquainted foe, although. And the U.S. had overwhelmed them earlier than – together with a 2-0 win in 2001 to open the ultimate spherical of CONCACAF World Cup qualifying. Brian McBride gave the Stars and Stripes an early lead, and Landon Donovan – later named the match’s finest younger participant — put El Tri away with a later second half header.
The U.S. would torment Mexico by the identical “dos a cero” rating line typically over the following 20 years, together with in qualifying for the 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2022 World Cups. But the one which eradicated their arch nemesis on the worldwide stage stays the mom of all of them.
The Origins of Dos a Cero
The first iteration of “Dos a Cero” was essentially the most memorable for the USMNT.
One of the main soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has lined United States males’s and ladies’s nationwide groups at a number of FIFA World Cups. Before becoming a member of FOX Sports in 2021, he was a workers author with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre..
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