First-half flurry fires USA past Portugal
Luis Figo, Rui Costa and Portugal were the heavy favourites, but John O'Brien and underdogs USA earned a huge upset at the 2002 FIFA World Cup.
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)
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)
1 USA win 2 Portugal wins 1 draw
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.
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.
“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
USA were the more accurate side on the day, finishing with a 7-1 advantage in shots on goal, while Portugal led 13-4 in shots off target.
USA scored three goals in a World Cup match for just the third time.
John O’Brien’s opening goal gave USA their first lead in 454 minutes of World Cup action, dating back to their 2-1 win over Colombia in 1994.
It was the first World Cup win on foreign soil for USA in 52 years, the last coming at Brazil 1950 when the Americans stunned England 1-0.
With his goal, Brian McBride became the first USA player to score in two World Cups.