On This Day in 2013, US Qualifies for Brazil with Trademark Victory Over Mexico
The numbers told a story of American soccer's transformation. Just three days earlier, the United States men's national team had suffered their first defeat in 13 games, a shocking 3-1 collapse in Costa Rica that ended their record-breaking winning streak and dropped them from first place in CONCACAF qualifying. Now, as they prepared to face Mexico at Columbus Crew Stadium, the Americans found themselves in an unfamiliar position: needing to prove their resilience rather than their dominance.
"Every time this process goes on it's never easy, always unpredictable," Landon Donovan had said in the days leading up to the match. "We've been on ups recently and now this is a down. We'll have to see how we recover and see what we're made of."
The recovery would have to come without some of their most important players. Michael Bradley, arguably the team's most valuable asset, was ruled out with a severe ankle sprain suffered during warmups in Costa Rica. Jozy Altidore, Matt Besler, and Geoff Cameron were all suspended due to yellow card accumulation, forcing Jürgen Klinsmann to summon reinforcements and test the depth he had been building for 26 months.
For Mexico, the stakes couldn't have been higher. Hours after losing to Honduras at home—their first qualifying defeat on Mexican soil in 12 years—the federation had fired coach José Manuel de la Torre and handed the reins to assistant Luis Fernando Tena. With just four games remaining, Mexico sat in fourth place, their World Cup hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads.
Columbus had become hallowed ground for this rivalry. The Americans were unbeaten at Crew Stadium in World Cup qualifying, and Mexico hadn't won a qualifier on U.S. soil since 1972. The intimate venue, with its capacity of just over 24,000, had witnessed identical 2-0 victories in 2001, 2005, and 2009—results that had spawned the "Dos a Cero" chant that followed this fixture like a ghost.
The sellout crowd of 24,584 arrived on September 10 ready to create another chapter in the legend. They stood from the opening whistle and never sat down, turning the stadium into a cauldron of red, white and blue. When singer Kayleigh Schofield began the national anthem, the crowd sang so loudly and at such a different tempo that she was forced to adjust her pace to match their fervor.
Mexico came out attacking with the desperation of a team facing elimination. Giovani dos Santos and Andrés Guardado tore at the American flanks, exploiting the unfamiliarity in Klinsmann's makeshift lineup. Within the first 10 minutes, Tim Howard had already made two crucial saves, first diving to his right to push away Christian Giménez's curling shot, then scrambling to collect DaMarcus Beasley's sliced clearance that had deflected dangerously toward his own goal.
The Americans looked rattled, struggling to complete simple passes under Mexico's high press. Kyle Beckerman and Jermaine Jones worked overtime to plug the gaps left by Bradley's absence, while Clarence Goodson—filling in for the suspended Besler—was forced into several desperate clearances as Mexico's technical wingers found space behind the fullbacks.
Eddie Johnson nearly provided the breakthrough in the 32nd minute, rising highest to meet a corner kick with a powerful downward header that forced an athletic save from Jesús Corona. But for the most part, the first half belonged to Mexico's swift passing combinations and the reflexes of Howard, who stood as the last line of defense against a team that seemed to smell blood.
The halftime whistle provided crucial respite for the Americans. Fabian Johnson's hamstring injury forced Klinsmann into his first substitution, bringing on Michael Parkhurst to shore up the right side. More importantly, it gave the coach a chance to settle his team's nerves and remind them of what was at stake.
The transformation after halftime was immediate. In the 49th minute, Donovan whipped in a corner kick with precision. E. Johnson timed his run perfectly, outjumping Diego Reyes and meeting the cross with a thunderous downward header. Corona, caught off his line, was helpless as Johnson's effort crashed into the net. Smoke bombs exploded as 24,000 voices erupted in celebration.
Mexico responded desperately. Tena shifted to a 3-4-3 formation, but this left his team exposed to counters. The insurance goal came in the 78th minute through Mix Diskerud's brilliance. The substitute received the ball near the touchline, produced a quick juggle and swivel to create space, then delivered a perfect cross through Mexico's penalty area.
Clint Dempsey got the faintest touch sliding toward the near post, but it was Donovan arriving unmarked at the back post who applied the finishing touch. His 57th international goal sent Crew Stadium into delirium and sparked chants of "Dos a Cero!" Dempsey missed a late penalty, preserving the scoreline that had become synonymous with American dominance.
The Americans retreated to their locker room to await Honduras's result against Panama. When news came that Honduras had drawn 2-2, champagne flowed. The U.S. had qualified for their seventh consecutive World Cup with two games to spare, moving into first place with 16 points while Mexico dropped to fifth, facing a potential playoff against New Zealand.
"We're continuing the growth of the game here," Dempsey said as the team celebrated around him. The victory validated Klinsmann's depth-building philosophy and demonstrated that American soccer had matured into a program capable of winning crucial matches without its best players. Columbus had once again provided the perfect stage, with the "Dos a Cero" chant serving as both celebration and prophecy—a reminder that some things in soccer are written in the stars.
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