Conrad's First International Goal

On This Day in 2007, the Center-Back Scored the Opener in a Dos-a-Cero Friendly Victory over Mexico

Opportunity can present itself in the most unexpected ways. Just a year before the 2006 World Cup, Jimmy Conrad was a long shot to make the U.S. national team roster, having made only eight international appearances. Not only did he make the squad, but he also played in Germany and emerged as one of the team's veteran leaders after the tournament.

Following Bruce Arena's departure after a disappointing World Cup group-stage exit, interim coach Bob Bradley took charge and began rebuilding. With veterans like Eddie Pope, Kasey Keller, Brian McBride, and Claudio Reyna either retiring or not being called up, Conrad found himself in an unfamiliar position. At 29, he was one of the elder statesmen in camp.

"This is obviously the first camp before the next World Cup cycle, so Bob's going want to see a lot of new guys, lot of young guys and give them their chance," Conrad said before the February 7 friendly against Mexico at the University of Phoenix Stadium. "I don't think you ever relax when you're with the national team because there are so many people gunning for playing time and positioning."

The match itself lived up to the intense rivalry, played before a sellout crowd of 64,462 that heavily favored the visitors. Mexico came out aggressive under new coach Hugo Sánchez, with Cuauhtemoc Blanco leading early attacks. Conrad had to make a crucial clearance in the fourth minute after goalkeeper Tim Howard dropped the ball in front of goal with Mexican forwards lurking.

But it was Conrad who would break the deadlock in the 52nd minute. The Kansas City Wizards defender met Landon Donovan's corner kick with a powerful header that beat goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez inside the left post – his first international goal in his 19th appearance. "I think we showed what we're made of," Conrad said afterward.

Mexico pressed hard for an equalizer, forcing Howard into several saves, including denying Omar Bravo in the 67th minute. The match grew increasingly heated, with Mexican captain Rafael Marquez and American forward Eddie Johnson exchanging shoves in the later stages. But Donovan sealed the victory in the 90th minute, converting a breakaway off Ricardo Clark's pass for his 27th international goal.

The 2-0 victory extended the Americans' impressive run against their biggest rivals. They improved to 8-2-1 against Mexico since 2000 and maintained their unbeaten home record (7-0-1). While Bradley's interim status meant the result wouldn't directly determine his future as head coach, it was another positive step in rebuilding the program after the World Cup disappointment. 

For Conrad, it validated his unlikely journey from national team outsider to scoring match-winner in one of American soccer's biggest rivalries. The defender would play nine more matches for the US over the next cycle, including two matches at the 2007 Copa America. He also captained the side twice in the 2009 Gold Cup. His last game was the 2010 friendly against Honduras, where he was captain for the fifth time.