Skeleton Crew
Player Valuation: £8m
2/8/2001
9/3/2005
2/11/2009
9/10/2013
Those dates may not mean much to those outside the USA but here; here in Columbus, Ohio those dates signify and evoke a feeling of national pride unlike any other in all of sports.
The US Men's National Team (USMNT) has played their arch rivals Mexico on each of those days. The USMNT has beaten their rivals 2-0 on each of those days. Always in Columbus. Always 2-0. Dos A Cero.
The history.
Mexico has played the US 66 times, winning 34 of those contests score almost double the goals. 136-77. But here is the rub that has galled El Tri for the last 15 years, despite their dominance of the series, there is one place they simply cannot win. Columbus.
See, here in the US there is no official "home" stadium for the men's team. No venue like Wembley.
But there is Columbus. Only Columbus. Out of the dozens of mammoth venues that all hold 80,000 or more, this one little bowl stadium in the middle of the country holds the collective nation's beating soccer heart. Its an erector set of steal beams, bench seating, open to the elements, decked in the home town colors of black and gold. There is nothing special about the stadium just to look at. It was the first soccer specific stadium in the USA and was built for under 30 million. Thats right, a professional stadium built for less than the cost of an above average winger.
At full capacity with special seating the stadium only holds 24,000 supporters.
It sounds like 100k.
It feels like 318.9 million.
La Guerra Fria
On bitingly cold winter day in February the US team took field in sub-freezing temperatures. Snow pocketed the edges of the fields and in the stands. It was labeled as La Guerra Fria by the Mexican press after the match. USA prevailed 2-0. The frigid temperatures forced Mexican team didnt even come out for pregame warm ups. USA prevailed Dos a Cero. The legend was born.
Then in 2005 the rivalry game began to define exactly what the USA team would become. Tenacious. Never back down. Never the pretty, always the grit. A grinding team. The look summed it up perfectly.
Two wins. Dos a Cero.
Another cold day February 2009. This game was played in a weather pattern that made you believe in the movie "The day after tomorrow". Rain. Hail. Wind. Cold. Another Dos a Cero
3 consecutive wins. Three scorelines of 2-0. The stigma or superstition entrenched.
On September 10th, the entire crush of red, white and blue held their collective breaths as Clint Dempsey stepped to the spot. On the north side of the stadium looking into the largest supporter group, Dempsey took his run up and slotted it left... ...completely missing the target.
The miss preserved the Dos a Cero.
Whispers abound that it was on purpose. Or maybe it was the giant exhale as he place his kick that pushed it wide. We cannot be sure but the scoreline remains etched. Another 2-0 win.
4 games. Dos A Cero.
ALL have ended 2-0 with the yanks winning. Dominating. In fact, since that first cold February date, the USA are 11-6-4 overall vs Mexico ushering in a new era for the national team.
Now 11/11/2016 is scheduled.
Clearly the past really doesnt matter when it comes to World Cup soccer. Every qualifying group is different with new players and new dynamics.
Except the past does matter to Columbus. It matters to the team. It matters to the supporters and it matters to the nation. Most of all, it matters to Mexico.
May Legends never die.
Welcome home Dos A Cero. Welcome Home.
9/3/2005
2/11/2009
9/10/2013
Those dates may not mean much to those outside the USA but here; here in Columbus, Ohio those dates signify and evoke a feeling of national pride unlike any other in all of sports.
The US Men's National Team (USMNT) has played their arch rivals Mexico on each of those days. The USMNT has beaten their rivals 2-0 on each of those days. Always in Columbus. Always 2-0. Dos A Cero.
The history.
Mexico has played the US 66 times, winning 34 of those contests score almost double the goals. 136-77. But here is the rub that has galled El Tri for the last 15 years, despite their dominance of the series, there is one place they simply cannot win. Columbus.
See, here in the US there is no official "home" stadium for the men's team. No venue like Wembley.
But there is Columbus. Only Columbus. Out of the dozens of mammoth venues that all hold 80,000 or more, this one little bowl stadium in the middle of the country holds the collective nation's beating soccer heart. Its an erector set of steal beams, bench seating, open to the elements, decked in the home town colors of black and gold. There is nothing special about the stadium just to look at. It was the first soccer specific stadium in the USA and was built for under 30 million. Thats right, a professional stadium built for less than the cost of an above average winger.
At full capacity with special seating the stadium only holds 24,000 supporters.
It sounds like 100k.
It feels like 318.9 million.
La Guerra Fria
On bitingly cold winter day in February the US team took field in sub-freezing temperatures. Snow pocketed the edges of the fields and in the stands. It was labeled as La Guerra Fria by the Mexican press after the match. USA prevailed 2-0. The frigid temperatures forced Mexican team didnt even come out for pregame warm ups. USA prevailed Dos a Cero. The legend was born.
Then in 2005 the rivalry game began to define exactly what the USA team would become. Tenacious. Never back down. Never the pretty, always the grit. A grinding team. The look summed it up perfectly.
Two wins. Dos a Cero.
Another cold day February 2009. This game was played in a weather pattern that made you believe in the movie "The day after tomorrow". Rain. Hail. Wind. Cold. Another Dos a Cero
3 consecutive wins. Three scorelines of 2-0. The stigma or superstition entrenched.
On September 10th, the entire crush of red, white and blue held their collective breaths as Clint Dempsey stepped to the spot. On the north side of the stadium looking into the largest supporter group, Dempsey took his run up and slotted it left... ...completely missing the target.
The miss preserved the Dos a Cero.
Whispers abound that it was on purpose. Or maybe it was the giant exhale as he place his kick that pushed it wide. We cannot be sure but the scoreline remains etched. Another 2-0 win.
4 games. Dos A Cero.
ALL have ended 2-0 with the yanks winning. Dominating. In fact, since that first cold February date, the USA are 11-6-4 overall vs Mexico ushering in a new era for the national team.
Now 11/11/2016 is scheduled.
Clearly the past really doesnt matter when it comes to World Cup soccer. Every qualifying group is different with new players and new dynamics.
Except the past does matter to Columbus. It matters to the team. It matters to the supporters and it matters to the nation. Most of all, it matters to Mexico.
May Legends never die.
Welcome home Dos A Cero. Welcome Home.
