Notably on the roster for the Sweden game are 5 players from the Bucks MLS affiliate team, the Columbus Crew, 4 of whom were up here in May 2007 to play us in an exhibition (the Crew won 3-0). They are Eddie Gaven (who scored the first goal that night), Chad Marshall, Robbie Rogers and Will Hesmer. Crew midfielder Brian Carroll was also called up. Gaven, Marshall and Carroll all have a few appearances for the national team but for Robbie Rogers and Will Hesmer will look to gain their first cap against the Henrik Larsson led Sweden team.
A few weeks later the US will take on Mexico with all their top guns back. This is a very special match between the two best nations in CONCACAF and bitter rivals to boot. The US currently has a home undefeated streak against Mexico which dates back almost 10 years, with the last home loss coming on March 13, 1999 in San Diego, a 2-1 result. Since 1999, the US is 9-4-2 in all matches vs. Mexico. At home they are 8-1-2. While recent history bodes well, no game, even if it's a friendly makes me quite as nervous as when we play Mexico. I hate losing to Mexico...
So with that, I'm listing my Top 5 US-Mexico match memories:
#5- September 3, 2005; Columbus Crew Stadium; Columbus, OH; US 2, Mexico 0: Two 2nd half goals in the span of 5 minutes from Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley were enough to clinch US qualification to the 2006 FIFA World Cup. This match is also memorable for Oguchi Onyewu's bossing of Jared Borgetti all over the park that night, leading to this very special stare down:
#4 November 2, 1997; Azteca Stadium; Mexico City, Mexico; Mexico 0, US 0: Although not the most exhilarating of games this match is important for a few reasons. First, the US earned their first ever point in Azteca Stadium during World Cup Qualifying. Secondly, they did it a man down after Jeff Agoos was sent off in the 32nd minute for an elbow to the head of Pavel Pardo. That only adds to the allure of this match. The US would go on to qualify for the 1998 World Cup a week later with a 3-0 win over Canada in Vancouver.#3 February 28, 2001; Crew Stadium; Columbus, OH; US 2, Mexico 0: La Guerra Fria original...When the US drew Mexico at home in February, the Federation knew they had to take advantage of the opportunity to make our neighbors to the south as uncomfortable as possible. Early on things didn't look so good as US captain Claudio Reyna and star striker Brian McBride both went off injured in the 1st half. The two players that subbed in for them Clint Mathis and Josh Wolff went on to connect for the first US goal in the 47th minute, with Wolff setting Earnie Stewart up for the second in the 87th minute.
#2 June 24, 2007; Soldier Field; Chicago, IL; US 2, Mexico 1; Trailing 1-0 at halftime in front of a pro-Mexican crowd in the Gold Cup Championship, the US rebounded first with a Landon Donovan penalty kick in the 62nd minute and then with the 2007 Goal of the Year, a Benny Feilhaber one-time volley from the top of the 18 into the opposite side netting. This was also special because it was the 2nd time the US had beaten the Hugo Sanchez led Mexican team in 2007.
#1 June 17, 2002; Jeonju World Cup Stadium; Jeonju, South Korea; US 2, Mexico 0; The only match that really matters in the grand scheme of things because it was played at the World Cup. The US took the lead early with Brian McBride linking up with Claudio Reyna and Josh Wolff after a quick restart down the right flank. Absorbing a lot of pressure and with great goalkeeping from Brad Friedel the US was able to keep Mexico off the scoreboard. In the 65th minute on a counterattack winger Eddie Lewis swung a cross to Landon Donovan who put the match away and put the US in the final 8 of the World Cup.
Of course this list could be different depending on the person, however I'll just say I'm not wrong.
Have a good one,
-Jeff
