On This Day in 1994, the Americans Delivered a Statement Victory in Their Final World Cup Warm-Up Match
With the 1994 World Cup looming just two weeks away, the United States Men's National Team faced dual challenges: finalizing their roster and building confidence for the biggest tournament in their history. Coach Bora Milutinovic, facing intense scrutiny for his unorthodox methods and seemingly indecisive approach, made his final cuts on June 1st, submitting the required 22-player roster to FIFA just hours before the deadline.
The final roster reflected the evolution of American soccer since their historic, but ultimately disappointing, showing at Italia '90, where they finished 23rd out of 24 teams. Only six players from that World Cup squad remained—goalkeeper Tony Meola, defenders Paul Caligiuri and Marcelo Balboa, midfielders John Harkes and Tab Ramos, and forward Eric Wynalda. The additions included a mix of emerging domestic talent and "passport Americans" who had developed their skills in stronger European leagues.
Among the final three players cut was defender Brian Bliss, who had been called up for recent exhibitions but tore cartilage in his left knee upon returning to his club team in Germany. Also released were midfielders Dominic Kinnear, who had missed two months following an emergency appendectomy, and Chris Henderson, who had played just 14 minutes in the past four games.
The selected squad was notably more experienced than the 1990 version. While the Americans had been the youngest team in Italy with an average age of just over 24, the 1994 roster averaged 26.5 years of age. More importantly, several key players had accumulated valuable experience in top European leagues, with Harkes returning from Derby County in England's First Division, Wynalda playing in Germany's Bundesliga, and Ramos testing himself in Spain's competitive La Liga.
As the U.S. prepared for their final tune-up against Mexico at the Rose Bowl on June 4, they knew they'd face an unusual dynamic—playing as the technical home team before a crowd overwhelmingly supporting the visitors. Officials expected around 60,000 fans for the match, with the 12:30 p.m. PDT start time deliberately scheduled to allow Mexican supporters to drive up from Baja California.
"It's always going to be an uphill battle for soccer in America," midfielder John Harkes acknowledged. "We've had it before. It makes us fight back that much harder."
Milutinovic, who had coached Mexico to the World Cup quarterfinals in 1986, cautioned that fans shouldn't expect to see the same lineup he intended to use against Switzerland in the World Cup opener. Harkes had only returned from England on Wednesday (June 1) and wasn't planning to begin practicing with the team until Monday. Meanwhile, sweeper Marcelo Balboa was suspended for the match following his ejection the previous weekend in a 1-1 draw against Greece.
The Mexican squad was facing its own challenges. Star forward Hugo Sanchez, the five-time Spanish League scoring champion and hero of Mexico's 1986 World Cup campaign, was recovering from a torn thigh muscle that had sidelined him for six weeks. Though the 35-year-old claimed to have healed and expected to play, his status remained uncertain amid controversy with his club team, Rayo Vallecano, which had been relegated from Spain's top division.
When match day arrived, even the pre-game expectations were shattered. Rather than the anticipated 60,000 spectators, an astonishing 91,123 fans packed the Rose Bowl—the largest crowd ever to witness the U.S. national team play on American soil. The previous record of 78,625 had been set during the 1984 Olympics when the U.S. defeated Costa Rica at Stanford Stadium.
The atmosphere was electric, but decidedly pro-Mexico. Well over 90 percent of the fans displayed Mexican colors, with the unofficial flag count favoring Mexico by a margin of roughly 10,000 to 20. Mexican supporters began honking horns and waving flags two hours before kickoff, chanting "Me-hi-co! Me-hi-co!" and performing the wave as their team took the field.
The scene offered an early glimpse of what the World Cup would bring to the United States. Security measures were extensive, with two layers of chain-link fencing surrounding the stadium, police helicopters circling overhead, and about four dozen Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies alongside helmeted Pasadena police stationed on the field.
"I told the players to go out and enjoy the environment they were about to play in," said Milutinovic, whose familiarity with both sides added an intriguing subplot to the match.
The Americans looked confused and scattered on defense during the opening 10 minutes. Still, Milutinovic's tactical adjustment of moving Thomas Dooley—usually a midfielder—into the backline alongside Alexi Lalas, Cle Kooiman and Caligiuri proved brilliant. The defensive unit tightened impressively, defusing numerous Mexican attacking threats before they could develop.
The first half ended scoreless, with both teams managing three shots on goal. Mexico appeared to score at one point, but the goal was correctly disallowed for offside. Milutinovic made two crucial substitutions at halftime, bringing on Wynalda and Roy Wegerle, who had recently rejoined the team from their European clubs. The move paid immediate dividends just seven minutes into the second half.
The decisive moment came in the 52nd minute, showcasing the global influences now enriching American soccer. Dooley, a naturalized American who had lived in Germany until a year earlier, delivered a precise through-ball down the left side to Wynalda, a California native playing professionally in Germany. Wynalda raced past three defenders to reach the ball and, when seemingly sealed in near the end line, executed a brilliant reverse move to lose defender Raul Gutierrez. Drawing goalkeeper Jorge Campos out of position, Wynalda calmly slid the ball to Wegerle, a naturalized American born in South Africa who played in the English Premiership, who had positioned himself perfectly at the top of the box. Wegerle's simple finish into the empty net gave the Americans their 1-0 lead.
"Eric did all the hard work," Wegerle said modestly. "The smart work was picking up his head and getting in the right place."
Wynalda, who had a wild expression on his face as he celebrated the goal, later explained his emotional reaction: "That was a little bit for my teammates, a little bit for the lack of fan support, and a little bit for the Mexican-Americans who were here today. They booed the team. I wanted to show them I was having a better time than them today."
Mexico pressed desperately for an equalizer, particularly in the closing minutes. Their best opportunity came in the 88th minute when Meola came out to challenge Ramon Ramirez, who chipped the ball over him toward the middle of the penalty area. With the net exposed, Caligiuri made a crucial defensive header to clear the danger and preserve the American lead. When the final whistle blew, the U.S. had accomplished something remarkable—silencing nearly 91,000 opposing fans on home soil.
"It was a great effort on our defense's part," said Meola, who needed to make just two saves. "Really, this was like an away game for us, and the World Cup won't be like this. It was great. We figured out how to quiet 91,000 fans."
The victory improved the American record to 5-8-5 (WDL) for the year, including a modest 2-7-3 mark against fellow World Cup teams. More importantly, it provided a timely confidence boost as they completed their warm-up schedule and turned their attention to the tournament opener against Switzerland at the Pontiac Silverdome on June 18.
"This is just a hell of a morale-booster for the team," Wegerle said. "If we could have lost, people would have just shrugged their shoulders. This will send waves around the world."
It was only the fourth win in 42 games against Mexico for the United States. This statistical breakthrough suggested Milutinovic's mysterious methods might be bearing fruit at precisely the right moment. For a team and coach that had faced mounting skepticism, with critics questioning whether Milutinovic was a "miracle worker or nutty professor," the victory couldn't have come at a better time. The players who had placed their trust in his unorthodox approach were finally seeing tangible results.
As the United States prepared to host its first World Cup, expectations remained carefully measured. The players and staff had set a clear objective—reaching the second round, something the U.S. hadn't achieved since the inaugural World Cup in 1930. With the Swiss, Colombia, and Romania awaiting them in Group A, the Americans would need at least one win, possibly a win and a tie, to advance.
"If we play at the top of our level, and we have a little bit of luck, I think we can accomplish it," said Ramos. "We don't have the type of pressure all the teams have from their countries."
Last time, in 1990, they were just happy to be there. This time, with the eyes of the world—and a skeptical American public—upon them, many team members recognized that anything less than advancing to the second round would be considered a failure. But on this sun-drenched afternoon in Pasadena, as the San Gabriel Mountains glistened in the background, the Americans had delivered a statement victory that suggested they might just be ready for their moment on the world stage.
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