US Earns Historic 1-0 Win At Estadio Azteca
Tweeted by Maurice Edu
It was a match of a lifetime. It was something that maybe none of us thought was ever going to happen while we are on this earth. But for a full ninety minutes at one of the best home field advantages on this entire planet earth, the USA did the impossible and took a win at the Estadio Azteca.
The only goal of the match came in the 80th minute with substitutes working well with each other, and they eventually found a way to convert. Brek Shea on the far side looked to attack the area of Mexico and was surprised to find so much space. He attacked the net and juked to his left where it looked like he might have lost the ball.
But with some quick thinking Shea makes a hard cross in front of goal to Terrance Boyd who had his back towards goal and made a quick back heel to Michael Orozco-Fiscal who had a decent touch on the ball and put it behind Guillermo Ochoa for the lead with ten minutes left in regulation.
After a grueling final ten minutes with four added on in second half stoppage time, Costa Rican Referee Walter Quesada blew his whistle for full time and a historical victory was achieved at the Estadio Azteca with one goal and a fantastic game plan from head coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
Even though most of the match looked ugly and terrible on the offensive side of the ball, it was a great night for some defense as Geoff Cameron, who is Stoke City bound, marked and defended Javier “Chicharito” Hernandez all match long and did it well.
No matter how many times Hernandez found a way to get a call for a free kick just outside the area or how many times he was able to get close to the goal, all his chances went for naught as the shots went wide of the posts, high over the crossbar, or knocked away by the wall.
Too many times you saw the wide players for Mexico try to take advantage of the altitude by crossing and blasting balls near the touch lines and hoping for someone to head in or shoot hard in the US area. For some strange reason the shots never went in or threatened Tim Howard till late in the second half.
That big save in the 85th came from Tim Howard as a poor clearance found Hernandez and as he shot towards the near side, Howard went to his far post. But with his quick reflexes Howard found a way to preserve the clean sheet by putting a left paw on the ball and quickly crawling to the rebound and covering up.
Yes this was a friendly and it wasn’t during a World Cup Qualifier, but this was a sweet victory for US Soccer as it took them seventy five years to earn their first at the famed Estadio Azteca. But if you think about this first full season of Jurgen Klinsmann’s tenure as the head man of the National Team, he has broken two droughts: the Leap Year win in February ending a ninety two year drought against Italy, and now this fantastic win.
How interesting that many have said there is a gap with the youth sides from El Tri winning the U-17 World Cup, doing well in the U-20 World Cup and celebrating the Gold Medal Olympic Winning team at half time. While there probably is a gap, this victory may close that gap a tiny bit, if only because this group of Americans now knows what it takes to prevail at Mexico’s fortress, Estadio Azteca.
11 Responses to US Earns Historic 1-0 Win At Estadio Azteca
That picture is hilarious, you think he would have put the air tank
down for the picture lol.
Awesome picture. great win and now time to focus on World Cup
qualification.
Pretty cool the guys that stay home are the guys performing in a
big game like this. Fun to watch a Brek Shea who is struggling in
MLS play, be able to take the game, creating the winning chance.
Cameron was a beast. My fear is Stoke will lose, blame the American
and he will lose all he has gained, plus no Kinnear is a negative
right off the bat………………………………Howard is just
perfect for an at times shaky D team that is overall pretty darn
good. Could there be a better fit ? I don’t think so.
The goal was scored by a Mexican league player, backheeled by a
German league player, started by an MLS player, and Tim Howard made
the key saves and he’s with Everton. Oh, and Edu was in Scotland
before Rangers went bust. Your MLS blinders need a break.
I am well aware of where the players you mentioned play. My point
stands, it was pretty cool to see the MLS home guys play so well.
Thanks though for the post though ?
Wow, talk about a troll comment.
@SSReporters Outside of Boyd & Orozco-Fiscal not playing in
MLS. Maurice Edu started his career with Toronto FC & Tim
Howard started his career with the MetroStars (Now RBNY) In MLS. So
yes Timmy & Edu are in Europe, but they got their start in MLS
just like Brek Shea has with FC Dallas. Always remember you need to
start somewhere and regardless of where some of these players are
now, Edu & Howard started in MLS. Stop being a troll and learn
your history of players and where they got their original start
from.
I’m well aware of their history and DEFINITELY aware of that Edu
debacle where we traded him for grass. I am just sick and tired of
every win for the USA NT being some sort of gigantic accomplishment
for MLS. It shouldn’t come down to that. Whenever the US loses
(like the U-23 not qualifying for the Olympics) it’s brushed off
and no one on this blog ties it to the quality of MLS players. But
when it’s an historic win everything suddenly changes.
Half the players on that Olympic qualifying team came from MLS and
the others came from playing in Mexico & Europe. The kids
failed to get into the Olympics, but this was a senior side squad
that made history. This was a huge victory even though no points
were on the line. In 75 years and obviously they never played
Mexico that many times down there, our guys never had a solid
performance like that to get a victory. That is a big mental boost
for WORLD CUP QUALIFYING if the USA & Mexico advance out of
their groups and face each other in the Hexaginal in 2013. Yes the
Olympic Qualifying Loss was a major downer, but that doesn’t mean
we have to flush this victory down the toilet. Klinsmann didn’t
manage those kids, someone else did and that was the other guys
problem. Klinsmann in this calendar year got two solid wins against
two quality sides and away from home. The first ever victory
against Italy and the first ever victory at the Azteca against
Mexico is just as huge of a positive as the major negative of not
qualifying for the Olympics.
You make it seem that I’m not happy we won. I’m thrilled and sorry
my tone suggests otherwise. I’ve been on the Klinsmann bandwagon
from day one and this is the final nail in the coffin for
justifying Bob Bradley’s firing and WCQ has barely started! I just
don’t think every little success and failure from the national team
should be immediately tied to MLS. I’m just focusing on the youth
and promise of this team knowing the lack of U-20 depth we have
currently.
Let me clarify, Daniel you didn’t say that in the article, this is
all in response to Charles.