Dempsey Salutes in Tune-up Victory

On This Day in 2006, Where the US Would Face Italy in Three Months, Dempsey Scored as the Snow Poured Down in Germany

In early 2006, the United States Men's National Team was riding high. Ranked 7th in the world and fresh off a commanding World Cup qualification campaign, Bruce Arena's squad was building momentum toward the summer tournament in Germany. But questions remained about how the team would fare on European soil, where they had historically struggled.

The March 1 friendly against Poland in Kaiserslautern carried extra weight. It marked a rare opportunity for Arena to field his Europe-based players together, which had proven difficult during recent friendlies. The match would also serve as a dress rehearsal at Fritz-Walter-Stadion, where the Americans would face Italy in their crucial second World Cup group stage match just three months later.

"This trip is too condensed," Arena admitted before the match, highlighting the challenges of assembling his scattered squad. "Some of the players flew in today. Some played Saturday, and some played Sunday. Some haven't played since last Wednesday." 

The American roster showcased the team's growing presence in European football. It featured goalkeeper Kasey Keller, Gregg Berhalter, and Steve Cherundolo playing in Germany, Carlos Bocanegra, Eddie Lewis, and Bobby Convey in England, and midfielder DaMarcus Beasley from Champions League semifinalist PSV Eindhoven. Mixed with MLS talents like the New England Revolution duo of Clint Dempsey and Taylor Twellman, who had just scored a hat trick in a 5-0 win over Norway, the U.S. team represented a blend of players from domestic and abroad.

The United States, unbeaten in 2006, faced a Polish side ranked 22nd in the world and drawn into Group A with host Germany for the upcoming World Cup. Despite the minimal ticket sales reported just days before - only 11,000 sold through Monday - the proximity to Ramstein Air Base meant strong American support was expected in the stands.

What began under cold conditions soon became a remarkable winter spectacle as heavy snow blanketed the field. "I never played in a game when that much snow came in at the same time," Dempsey would later recall. "I never saw little flurries turn into big snow like that."

The decisive moment came in the 48th minute when Eddie Lewis delivered a precise long pass into the penalty area. Polish goalkeeper Artur Boruc, who had just entered as a second-half substitute, attempted to punch the ball away but deflected it off Twellman directly to Dempsey, who headed it into an empty net.

The conditions became so challenging that by the midpoint of the second half, even basic soccer actions became adventurous. Landon Donovan described the visibility challenges: "There was a period of 15-20 minutes where you couldn't see more than 10 yards." The referee even switched to a yellow ball to improve visibility against the white field.

The victory proved significant for several reasons. First, it marked only Arena's second win in Europe (2-7-2 record), both victories coming against Poland. Second, it was played at the same venue where the U.S. would later face Italy in their second World Cup group stage match. A crowd of 13,395, including many American service members from nearby Ramstein Air Base, provided a preview of the support the team could expect during the tournament.