On This Day in 1954, After Being Eliminated by Mexico, The US Beat Haiti Twice to Cap Off World Cup Qualifying
As the United States entered the 1954 World Cup qualifying campaign, expectations were tempered by organizational challenges and the looming shadow of Mexico's regional dominance. The Americans were attempting their first qualification effort since their historic 1950 World Cup appearance, where they had stunned England 1-0 in one of soccer's greatest upsets.
The qualification process began disastrously in Mexico. Internal disarray plagued the American side before they even took the field. The team, hastily assembled through tryouts in Chicago and New York, faced immediate eligibility issues when Mexican officials insisted on enforcement of FIFA's citizenship requirements. Several players were disqualified, forcing last-minute replacements. As one Mexican newspaper mockingly highlighted, "The American soccer players will meet each other on Wednesday, train on Thursday, and play Mexico on Sunday."
The lack of preparation showed in their opening match at the Olympic Stadium. Before 60,000 partisan fans, Mexico dominated the Americans 4-0, with William Sheppell of the United States inadvertently scoring an own goal that doubled Mexico's early lead. The Mexican coach had correctly anticipated the Americans would crowd their defense and ordered an immediate attack that caught the visitors before they could organize.
Four days later, despite showing marked improvement and actually taking a 1-0 lead through Bill Looby in the ninth minute, the Americans ultimately fell 3-1. The U.S. team appeared transformed, marking tightly and playing with vigor. Still, their energy waned in the later stages as Mexico scored twice in the final fifteen minutes to secure qualification to Switzerland.
With Mexico having already secured passage to the World Cup finals by defeating Haiti twice (8-0 and 4-0), the remaining matches between the U.S. and Haiti were essentially meaningless. The USSFA initially attempted to forfeit these games to avoid the expense but relented under FIFA pressure, agreeing to play both matches in Haiti on consecutive days.
Three months after the Mexico debacle, on April 3, 1954, the Americans secured a thrilling 3-2 victory in their first-ever visit to Haiti. The team, which had no training time together, somehow managed to edge the hosts in a tight contest at Magliore Stadium. Cornelius Casey opened the scoring in the 20th minute, and Efrain Chacurian doubled the American lead before halftime. Looby scored the insurance goal with less than 10 minutes remaining to push the score to 3-1 after Haiti scored one back.
The second match on April 4 proved even more convincing. On a rain-soaked field that became increasingly muddy as the game progressed, the United States and Haiti battled through a scoreless first half. The weather conditions deteriorated significantly, with a downpour at the 35-minute mark forcing a 15-minute delay. The 6,000 spectators held chairs over their heads for protection.
When play resumed, the dropping temperature and slippery conditions favored the Americans. The U.S. broke the deadlock in the second half with three unanswered goals. Harry Keough of St. Louis opened the scoring, followed by his fellow St. Louisan Looby. Both goals came after the Haitian goalkeeper lost his footing in the mud. Philadelphia's Walter Bahr completed the scoring with a free kick outside the penalty area that slipped through the Haitian goalkeeper's hands.
Defensively, goalkeeper Don Malinowski of Pittsburgh delivered a stellar performance to preserve the clean sheet. The 3-0 victory showcased the Americans' ability to adapt to the challenging conditions, as players from both teams "skated ludicrously on the mud" throughout the match.
The St. Louis contingent proved particularly influential, with four players from the city prominently featured. Beyond Keough and Looby, Ruben Mendoza starred in the forward line, while Herman Wecke solidified the backfield.
Despite this encouraging conclusion to their qualifying campaign, the success was bittersweet. Mexico had already secured the group's only qualification spot for Switzerland, and the American team would not play together again for more than a year. Their next international match would come in August 1955 when the team traveled to Iceland, leaving this moment of triumph in Haiti as a fleeting reminder of potential unfulfilled.
The 1954 qualifying campaign ultimately netted the USSFA a welcome $21,000 by playing all matches away from home, but the financial gain came at the expense of competitive advantage. The pattern of administrative priorities overshadowing on-field ambitions would continue to challenge American soccer's development on the international stage for years to come.
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