The Centerback Nodded Home the Winning Goal in a Victory Over Saudi Arabia
The United States Men's National Team secured its passage to the Gold Cup quarterfinals with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at Q2 Stadium in Austin, Texas, on Thursday night. While the performance lacked the attacking flair displayed in their tournament opener, the Americans did enough to claim three crucial points in Group D.
Chris Richards provided the decisive moment in the 63rd minute, converting a well-worked set piece with a sliding finish. Sebastian Berhalter, making just his third international appearance, delivered a perfectly weighted free kick from the right flank that found Richards in the penalty area. The defender's composed strike marked his second international goal and first assist for the young midfielder.
The match proved to be a tactical battle, with Saudi Arabia's aggressive 4-3-3 formation presenting a stark contrast to Trinidad and Tobago's defensive approach in the Americans' previous outing. Mauricio Pochettino maintained faith in the same starting eleven that had dominated their opening fixture, marking the first time the Argentine coach had deployed an unchanged lineup in consecutive matches.
The first half was a cagey affair, with both teams managing just two shots apiece. Saudi Arabia's organized defensive structure frustrated the American attack, while their counter-attacking threat kept the hosts on their toes. Richards showcased his defensive qualities with a crucial sliding block that prevented Saudi Arabia from taking an early lead.
The second half saw an improved American performance, with the team registering five shots and dominating possession, holding 67% of the ball. Matt Freese continued his impressive form between the posts, making a vital save to preserve his second consecutive clean sheet and earn his third international cap.
With Haiti's draw against Trinidad and Tobago co-occurring, the victory guaranteed the United States' progression to the knockout rounds. The Americans now sit atop Group D and will face Haiti in their final group stage match at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Sunday, with the luxury of potentially rotating their squad ahead of the quarterfinals.
On This Day in 2004, a Muddy Victory: US Survives Grenada Scare to Advance in World Cup Qualifying
The path to the 2006 World Cup began with what appeared to be a formality for the United States. After reaching the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup and climbing to ninth in FIFA's world rankings, the Americans faced Grenada, a Caribbean island nation of 100,000 people ranked 138th in the world, in a home-and-away knockout series that would determine their place in the next round of CONCACAF qualifying.
The format itself seemed insulting to a team that had established itself as a legitimate global force. While other major nations received first-round byes, the United States was forced to navigate an interesting series so early in the long qualifying process. Yet the stakes remained significant: three teams would qualify directly for the 2006 World Cup, with a fourth earning a playoff against an Asian opponent.
The Americans handled the opening leg at Columbus Crew Stadium on June 13, 2004, with the efficiency expected of a team ranked 137 places above their opponent. DaMarcus Beasley scored twice and Greg Vanney added a late goal for a 3-0 victory that should have sealed the series. But the performance revealed warning signs that would prove prophetic a week later. Despite dominating possession and outshooting Grenada 34-6, the Americans struggled to break down the Spice Boyz's packed defense. Goalkeeper Kellon Baptiste made 11 saves, while defenders Kennedy Phillip and Ricky Charles made crucial goal-line clearances to keep the match scoreless through the first half.
"We basically choreographed this game," Arena said afterward. "The team that's the fitter team is our team. Over 90 minutes, it was going to be obvious. After 35 minutes, you could see they were basically done."
The breakthrough finally came in the 45th minute when Beasley headed home a cross from Claudio Reyna, earning his first World Cup qualifying goal. A second-half strike from Beasley and Vanney's injury-time effort provided what appeared to be a comfortable cushion for the return leg.
The scene that greeted the Americans at Grenada's National Stadium on June 20, was nothing like the sterile environment of Columbus. Heavy rain had turned the converted cricket ground into a waterlogged minefield, with players slipping and sliding through muddy patches throughout the match. The entire nation seemed to have turned out for what they hoped would be the greatest upset in soccer history. The Americans, needing only to avoid a four-goal defeat, appeared to have learned from their slow start in the first leg. Just seven minutes in, Josh Wolff intercepted a Grenada pass and fed Claudio Reyna, who raced down the wing before crossing for Landon Donovan to finish into the lower right corner.
"The first goal is always important," Donovan explained. "You don't want to give them a chance, and scoring early makes them open up a lot. On my goal, Claudio got it wide and Brian McBride crashed the net, so Claudio is smart enough to see that and dropped it back to me and it was basically an open net."
But Grenada's response was immediate and stunning. Just six minutes later, the Spice Boyz were awarded a penalty kick, and Jason Roberts—their seasoned striker with English league experience—beat Kasey Keller to level the score. The crowd erupted, and suddenly the impossible seemed within reach. The Americans regained their composure in the 23rd minute when Wolff scored the go-ahead goal, finishing off a scramble following a corner kick. The muddy conditions had created chaos in the Grenada penalty area, but Wolff was alert enough to pounce on the loose ball and restore the visitors' lead.
The match's turning point came in the 55th minute when Grenada defender Brian Benjamin received his second yellow card for a lunging tackle on Donovan. Already trailing 2-1 in the match and needing three more goals to advance, the Spice Boyz now faced the impossible task of mounting a comeback with ten men. DaMarcus Beasley added what appeared to be the final goal in the 79th minute, capping off a dominant individual performance across both legs. Earnie Stewart, who assisted Beasley's goal, made his 100th international appearance for the US, stating, "It's a great honor to be part of an elite group that reaches 100 caps." But Grenada refused to surrender, with Ricky Charles scoring just one minute later to set up a frantic finish that had the home crowd believing in miracles until the final whistle.
The 3-2 victory, combined with the first leg result, gave the United States a 6-2 aggregate triumph and passage to the CONCACAF semifinals. But the narrow margin of victory in St. George's served as a reminder that no opponent could be taken lightly in World Cup qualifying.
"I give the team from Grenada a lot of credit," Arena reflected. "They brought a lot of work to the game. They did a terrific job. Small countries today are no longer small because, as opposed to 10-15 years ago, you have players with experience. A player like Jason Roberts brings a lot to Grenada because of his experience in England."
The Americans now advanced to a four-team semifinal group that would begin in August, featuring Jamaica, Panama and El Salvador. The top two finishers would progress to the final hexagonal round, where three teams would earn direct qualification to Germany 2006. Their campaign would continue on August 18 with a challenging opener in Jamaica—a far cry from the converted cricket ground in Grenada, but no less important in their quest to reach a fifth consecutive World Cup.
The Grenada series had served its purpose: the United States had navigated their first hurdle and gained valuable experience for the sterner tests ahead. But the muddy afternoon in the Caribbean had also provided a crucial reminder that in World Cup qualifying, complacency could prove fatal, regardless of rankings or expectations.
