Thanks to everyone who chimed in with our first all-time Best Of survey. Asking the top three players in national team history provoked a lot of discussion and debate - and a few surprises.
Now it's on to another top three selection, one sure to inspire the same amount of healthy repartee. The U.S. is one game away from collecting its 194th victory, and there is one thing that each of the previous 193 wins have in common - goals. Don't score 'em, can't win 'em. And in case you're curious, the U.S. has deposited 665 in their lifetime scoring account.
So it's time to tell us your top three goals scored in U.S. national team history. Again, the criteria you use is all yours. Will you the choose spectacular goals of the 'I can't believe that just happened' variety, like the full volley blast into the upper 90, or the perennially popular bicycle kick? Will you pick the goals with the most historical significance, like the miracle of Belo Horizonte or just about any goal in a World Cup? Or will you simply go for the flat out dramatic - a moment of inspiration forever etched in the memory of every fan of U.S. Soccer.
Discuss.
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11 comments:
1. Landon Donovan putting the finishing touches on Mexico, world cup '02
2. Preki vs. Brazil. Not only did the USA win this game, they shut Brazil down, and Preki just put the icing on the cake.
3. Benny Feilhaber's volley against Mexico. I'm only 20 guys, so I'm not all that well versed here, but very rarely have I seen a moment in sports that made me jump off the couch and run around a friend's living room, shouting like a maniac.
1. Paul Caligiuri
2. Paul Caligiuri
3. Paul Caligiuri
I gotta agree with Jeremy. Paul Caligiuri's goal against TnT has to be the best.
John O'Brien's goal against Portugal in '02 will always be memorable for me.
1. Paul Caligiuri's Shot Heard Round the World
2. John O'Brien's goal vs. Portugal - US has arrived
3. Landon Donovan's goal vs. Mexico to seal the victory, sending Mexico packing and the US into the Quarter Finals
Me, I'm for the historically significant goals:
1) Joe Gaetjens vs. England, WC 1950 - "The Miracle on Grass."
2) Paul Caligiuri vs. TnT in 1989 for WC Qualification for the first time in 40 years - "The Shot Heard 'Round the World" (well, okay, 'round North and Central America).
3) Bert Patenaude vs. Paraguay, WC 1930. It was a hat trick, the first in the WC, so any goal will do. But maybe it should be the first, game-winning goal since that got the US to the semifinals and their highest ever place in the WC finals.
(Then the long dark night as soccer was eclipsed by football, baseball, hockey and basketball in the US except for pockets like Kearny NJ and St. Louis.)
The most important goals
1) Paul Caliguri 1989 - Trinidad
2) Earnie Stewart 1994 - Columbia
3) John O'Brien 2002 - Portugal
My favorite goals
1) Brian McBride 2002 - Mexico
2) Eric Wynalda 1994 - Switzerland
3) DeMarcus Beasely 2006WCQ - Mexico
1. Donovan header against Mexico in WC 2002 2nd round at Jeonju.
2. Caliguiri against T&T in 1989 WC qualifier
3. Clint Mathis Mohawk goal against Korea in WC2002
Honorable Mention:
Wynalda free kick vs Switzerland at 94' WC
Ramos's bomb vs. Costa Rica in WC qualifier in 97'
Mc Bride seals the deal with a header vs Portugal in WC 2002
1. Earnie Stewart against Colombia 1994 - That goal made a lifetime fan out of me.
2. Benny Feilhaber against Mexico 2007 - I was right behind the goal and I could not believe what I saw...and neither could the 50k Mexican fans.
3. DeMarcus Beasley against Mexico 2005 - Was at the far goal for that one, but wow, did we ever rock that stadium that day?
Honorable mention
Landon Donovan's goal vs Mexico in 2002 - Enough has been said about that one.
Oguchi Onyewu against Honduras in 2005 at the death to complete Gold Cup Semis comeback - Was there for that one too...you've never seen more angry fans than the Hondurans that day...
John O'Brien against Portugal in 2002 - Without that goal right off the bat, that quarterfinal run never happens.
1.Brian McBride 3rd goal vs. Portugal. It ended up being the winning goal against Portugal, vital to the U.S. advancement towards the elimination rounds, and really one hell of a shot
2. Benny Feilhaber vs. Mexico, won us the Gold Cup, again, and one hell of a shot.
3. Paul Caligiuri's Shot Heard 'Round the World. Announced the return of the United States on the World Soccer Stage
1. 1950 Joe Gaetjens- biggest victory in US Soccer
2. Paul Caligiuri- the start of the rise in American Soccer
3.Brian McBride- The goal against Mexico in 2002 took us from one big win(1994), to sustained ability to win on the world stage.
Favorites:
1. Preki- Beating Brazil with a great goal. It doesn't get much better.
2.Landon- Mexico '02- Putting the finishing touches on Mexico- not sure what was better- ending Mexico's WC, or extending the US's.
3.John O'Brien- Sitting in a friend's living room in th e middle of the morning with eight other friends- and "Oh my God -We scored!!!!"
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