On This Day in 1999, Moore Helped to Transition the US Between 1998 World Cup Failure and 2002 Success, Highlighted By This Goal Against a Famous Opponent
The 1998 World Cup was a disaster for the US Men’s National Team. Some players on the team pointed fingers, mainly at the manager, Steve Sampson. Joe-Max Moore didn’t, acknowledging that one goal in three matches was not good enough. Moore started in two of the three games in France, concluding with the 1-0 defeat to Yugoslavia on Thursday, June 25. Two days later, he played the full 90 minutes for the New England Revolution in a shootout defeat to the Dallas Burn.
Moore remained optimistic, believing this Revolution team could make a run in the second half of the season. That’s admirable coming from someone whose national team just finished last at the World Cup, and New England wasn’t playing much better. The tournament hadn’t even had a Round-of-16 match played before Moore was back in the MLS grind, where his Revolution would finish last in 1998. Moore finished fourth in the league in assists with 11. After the MLS season concluded, Bruce Arena was hired as the new USMNT manager in late October. Despite the poor results over the summer, Arena kept a few World Cup veterans around, including Moore, who played in three of the first four matches under the new manager.
Moore was selected for the roster for the 1999 US Cup, which was scheduled for March. Again, Arena selected a more inexperienced squad in the opening match against Guatemala, with seven starters having less than five caps. But Moore was included in the starting XI and scored the opener in the 22nd minute in the 3-1 victory. A lapse in judgment saw Moore sent off after he shoved Erick Miranda following a kickout on a clearance late in the match — Miranda also received a red card. Moore missed the final, which Mexico won 2-1.
On April 27, the US Soccer Federation announced the friendly with Argentina for June 13 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., with the US playing another friendly in Buenos Aires on a later date to be determined (this match never actually took place). Argentina was preparing for the Copa America in July, while the US would play in the fourth edition of the Confederations Cup after qualifying as 1998 Gold Cup runners-up, thanks to Mexico hosting the tournament. Argentina was considered a world power, boasting two World Cup trophies at the time, and more recently, was the Copa America champions in 1991 and 1993. At the 1998 World Cup, the Argentinians dominated their group with three victories before beating England in the Round of 16 on penalties. Argentina fell in the quarterfinals to the Netherlands. Before the match, the US had only one win in five against their South American opponent, and that one win came four years prior in the Copa América.
With Brian McBride out with an injury (though he played for the Columbus Crew that same day), Roy Lassiter, who was recalled after missing the US Cup, was expected to partner with Moore up front. But instead, Arena went with Earnie Stewart and Cobi Jones at the head of a 3-5-2 system. There was some commotion about a 17-year-old in camp possibly making his debut, but Landon Donovan would have to wait for another day. Argentina wasn’t fielding its best squad, but Diego Simone, Javier Zanetti and Mauricio Pochettino were in the starting XI for Marcelo Bielsa’s men.
The US was in control for the first half hour of the match, which included multiple chances but nothing clear-cut. Argentina grew into the match, but the Americans continued to apply the pressure in the first half. Claudio Reyna, whose father came to the US from Argentina in 1968, was a bright spot for the US. The ABC broadcast, featuring Bob Ley, even mentioned him being a new father, as Jack was born two months earlier. The Argentinians started to create a few chances, and in the 37th minute, Zanetti was played in on goal down the left but skied his chip over the crossbar. A couple of minutes later, CJ Brown brought down Gustavo Lopez right on the line of the box. The referee pointed to the spot, despite the appeals. Lopez stepped up to the spot against US goalkeeper Kasey Keller. Keller, earning his 34th cap, guessed correctly and dove to his left. The penalty from Lopez was poor, and Keller held on to keep the match goalless. Keller, who just finished his third season at Leicester City in the Premier League but was now looking for a new club, even made headlines in England for his performance against Argentina.
The Americans came out strong in the second half, similar to the first, and kept the pressure up despite a bit of rain coming down. In the 58th minute, the US had a goal ruled out when Chris Armas played Stewart in on goal, and his chip was lifted over the goalkeeper Germán Burgos, but he was offside. A couple of minutes later, Moore came off the bench to replace the injured Eddie Lewis, and Tony Sanneh flipped over to the left side to allow Moore to come in off the right. Within a few minutes, Moore was let loose and brought down by Pochettino on a counterattack, drawing a yellow card. In the 63rd, Sanneh hit the corner of the post and the crossbar on a header off a set-piece by Reyna. A minute later, Keller was drawn into action again, diving fully extended to his right to deny Hugo Ibarra.
The events continued as Keller was again called into action to stop a shot from Kily Gonzalez, who was in on goal. This was vintage Keller, drawing comparisons during the broadcast to his performance against Brazil a year and a half earlier. In the 69th minute, Gregg Berhalter replaced Robin Fraser along the backline. DC favorite Lassiter replaced Jones in the 77th, and the crowd erupted as the moment was starting to build. Arena made some progressive substitutions in the second half, indicating an intention to win the match. The match stalled over the next 10 minutes with just a few shots and one yellow card against Argentina. The rain continued to come down, and in the 87th, Lopez ripped a shot just wide.
On the ensuing goal kick, Sanneh won the header at midfield. Stewart helped it on with his head, and Lassiter put the pressure on the Argentine backline, forcing the loose ball. Stewart collected on the run, took a couple of touches and played the backheel to the on-rushing Moore. The substitute unleashed a first-time shot, beating Burgos to give the US the lead.
“I knew I struck it well and on goal,” Moore said. “When I looked up and saw I had the keeper on the wrong foot, I knew it was a goal.”
There were still two minutes plus stoppage time to hold off the seventh-ranked team in the world. The Americans kept their composure, and after two extra minutes, the result was final, with the US having beaten Argentina for the second time in a row. The other win mentioned on the broadcast was a group-stage upset at the 1995 Copa America. Moore started and provided the assist on Eric Wynalda’s goal in the 3-0 victory. Moore, who made the World Cup roster in 1994 but didn’t play, believed everyone on the team was on the same playing field early in the new cycle.
“I think everybody starts at the same level. I think I’ve got a few years left in me,” Moore said.
Moore made the Confederations Cup roster and scored a splendid free-kick in the 2-0 win over Germany to conclude Group B, escaping the group in second place. This would lead to a third-place finish in the tournament. By the end of the year, Moore was in England playing in the Premier League for Everton. Moore would have another massive moment for the US this cycle, scoring twice in a 2-1 victory in World Cup Qualifying, which sent the team to Japan/South Korea. His second, with the match tied 1-1 in the second, came from the penalty spot. He made the World Cup roster in 2002, coming off the bench twice in the tournament.
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