United States vs Portugal, 2002 FIFA World Cup, Group Stage

· FIFA World Cup

United States

4': John O'Brien
30': Paulo Jorge Costa (OG)
36': Brian McBride

FT
3 - 2

Portugal

40': Beto
71': Jeff Agoos (OG)

About

United States are hosting Portugal at Suwon Stadium, Suwon, South Korea, starting on . The match is a part of the FIFA World Cup.

Match Timeline

0': Team USA face their toughest challenge in the Portugese. Will Figo and co embarass them? Or can the stars and stripes put on a better show than at France '98?
0': USA will have to do without star man Claudio Reyna. He's not recovered from his 'strained right quadriceps' (it says here). Portugal's stars are all present, which perhaps doesn't bode well.
0': Can Bruce Arena triumph at the Suwon Stadium and retain his record as the 'winningest' coach in Team USA history?
0': Portugal get the game underway after the USA complete their huddle.
1': The Portugese pass it around the back. Instant attack as Joao Pinto crosses in. Well-cleared from Pablo Mastroeni.
0': Pinto chases the ball down the channels, collects a throw. Rui Costa bedazzles a US defender before hustles him out.
0': Stewart takes a free-kick which is tipped behind.
3': He takes a corner. McBride heads and Baia palms out. John O'Brien forces it home from close range. A shock 1-0 lead for the USA!
4': That was a real surprise. Poor defending from the Portugese and O'Brien captalised.
5': Portugal try to get their passing game going but the USA fight hard. Beasley dribbles and is brought down. Another chance for Stewart.
7': Baia punches out - ludicrously - and the ball breaks to Pope. He hits the side-netting. Portugal all over the place. That was a real chance.
7': Figo has a chance to shoot from a free-kick after a handball.
9': The wall didn't get far enough away. Sergio Conceicao drives into the wall but the ref bizarrely gives a free-kick to the USA.
9': Baia does well this time to collect a long-ball.
10': Figo can bend in another. Joao Pinto couldn't get to it and Friedel collects.
11': Rui Costa in space. Pauleta threatened as Pope came across him and goes down. No penalty given.
12': Bad ball from Costa goes to Agoos. Hedjuk can't keep the ball in.
12': Pinto again in the area. Agoos covers well and clears. But Sergio Conceicao gets away and crosses. Pauleta's header is poorly-directed.
14': Pope stops an attack again. Beasley charges before Baia gets to it. End-to-end stuff.
15': Beasley, who's doing well, dribbles and is fouled. The Portugese don't agree with the decison. Stewart chips straight to Baia.
15': The Americans seem more inclined to defend with Beasley on the break.
16': Sergio Conceicao is covered by two men and is then fouled by Pablo Mastroeni.
17': Donavan skins Petit down the right and crosses. No communication between Jorge Costa and Baia as the Charlton man hacks off for a corner.
17': Stewart will take....Baia gets the punch in ahead of Pope.
18': Tony Sanneh shoots but can't beat the first man. That's wasteful.
19': Portugal attempt to settle in their passing. But good hustling forces Conceicao into a mistake.
20': Donovan collects a knock-down in space and shoots over the bar. Portugal again rattled.
21': Rui Costa curls in a free-kick and Pauleta, again, heads wide. He was in plenty of space.
21': Figo fouled as he got into his stride. Portugal's impetus building.
22': But Friedel collects a poor dead-ball attempt.
22': Rui Jorge had Figo in space and played a poor ball. Beasley attacks but Portgal clear.
23': McBride wanders offside. Couto builds from the back.
24': Figo is double-teamed. Conceicao lurks but again Friedel is quick to collect.
25': Another corner to Team USA. But Stewart bends the ball out of play before it reaches McBride.
26': Portugal haven't got back into the game as quickly as they would have liked.
27': Bad ball from Couto. Then Figo is outnumbered and Pinto has to foul.
27': Landon Donovan is fouled and Stewart again loops in a free-kick.
29': Landon Donovan shoots, it's deflected off Jorge Costa and Baia is stranded. He can't reach it. 2-0 to the USA. Amazing, truly amazing. Portugal are having a nightmare.
29': Portugal are half asleep. The USA couldn't be more alive.
29': Pinto can't get to a Figo cross. Portugal desperate to get something before half-time.
32': Donavan evades a Couto tackle and then crosses. McBride is thwarted by Baia.
35': Beto seemingly dived when Hedjuk tackled. Free-kick seemed to be given but then changes his decision. Beto is booked for simulation. Did the ref look at the video replay? A first in World Cup history?
35': Stewart had a real chance but rushed when he had plenty of time.
35': McBride dives in to head a Stewart cross and the net billows. It's 3-0 to the USA. History is being made!
37': Portugal, in ruins, try to attack again. They force a corner.
38': Figo forces two more corners. Then the USA defence can't clear and Beto hammers home from close range. 3-1 now. This is really hotting up!
40': This is turning into a real humdinger! Beto is stopped in his tracks now.
40': Costa is on the march. He gets through but forgets the ball.
41': Sergio Conceicao down the left and Pauleta in space but the cross is overhit.
42': Figo stopped as he tries to beat Pope.
43': Couto has the ball and gives it to Figo. He's fouled unnecessarily. Sergio Conceicao crosses and Pauleta heads wide once more as Mastroeni put him off.
44': Portugal won't want the half-time whistle to come. They're in the ascendancy and coach Toni Oliveira's moustache is bound to be bristling in the dressing-room.
45': Figo forces a corner. The Portugese threaten again. Agoos clears and Rui Costa lashes a shot across Friedel.
45': Bad ball from Costa to Figo. He wins it back and fires in a cross. Conceicao's in space but takes too much time.
45': The last action of the half. The Americans have been superb and the Portugese, for thirty-five minutes, were dreadful. Though the USA lead there may be a sting in the tail after that Beto goal.
45': Cobi Jones, he of the pace, replaces Earnie Stewart at half-time as the USA get the second-half underway.
45': Joao Pinto gets the ball down the left and Pauleta threatened. He can't get to it.
47': The ball seems to have deflated - for the second time. Couto launches a free-kick. Pauleta heads down and Pinto can't get to it. Seemed to be impeded.
48': O'Brien takes a free-kick in Stewart's absence but Donovan fails to control the ball.
48': Figo is fouled by Pope but the quaick free-kick is wasted.
49': Figo dances round two but is forced back. Conceicao on the burst but Pope comes across.
50': Long shot from Conceicao is drifted over. He could have used the ball better there.
50': Pinto's slide-rule pass can't find Figo. USA break but Petit fouls and is booked.
52': Then Couto fouls McBride. Chance for a free-kick on the edge of the 'd'.
53': After a load of deliberation Agoos whacks it into the stand. A poor shot considering the build-up.
54': Jones burst through with fellow Americans either side of him but he took too long and Jorge Costa gets the ball away.
54': Figo's long crossfield ball is poor. But then Sanneh gives away a corner.
55': The ball is knocked to Jorge Costa. His pirouette totally disorientates him and he misses from two yards out.
56': McBride charges and plays in Donovan. He misses the target. Portugal again poor at the back.
57': Beasley down the left but his cross is overhit.
57': Joao Pinto dribbles and O'Brien fouls. Another free-kick.
57': Beto clatters that into Row Z. Shades of Jeff Agoos.
59': USA hold the ball until Beto runs clear. He's knocked by Beasley.
59': Figo drifts in a cross. Couto gets up highest but misdirects his header and Jorge Costa can't get to it.
59': Hejduk hammers into Pinto from behind. But Portugal still can't create.
61': Pauleta and Conceicao both have chances as the Americans dither.
62': Pauleta has been profligate. Conceicao has had his chances too. Portugal would kill for a goal.
63': Figo slides in to Pauleta, who again fails to control. He lets in Rui Jorge by accident but his ball finds nobody. USA starting to panic.
63': Jones dallies as Costa goes at him. Then it's another corner.
65': Headed away as Conceicao lurked. Desperate stuff.
65': A substitution needs to be made. Nuno Gomes surely will take the field.
65': Portugal starting to run out of time. Pauleta is offside from a Couto launch.
67': Conceicao dribbles. He gets nowhere. Figo suffers the same fate.
67': Pauleta is the target for a long ball from Figo. He can't control the bounce and shoots over.
67': Paulo Bento comes on for Rui Jorge.
69': McBride looked to be leaned on from Jorge Costa. Beto takes up the possession strain.
71': Pauleta fires in a cross and Agoos thrashes home - sadly it's into his own net. 3-2 to USA but the pressure's right on them.
72': Can they hold on? They've looked more and more nervous as time's gone on.
72': Figo, increasingly influential, tries to prompt from midfield.
73': Jorge Costa goes off and Jorge Andrade comes into defence.
73': Pauleta given the ball by Pinto. Again, he fails to make enough of it. He needs the type of assistance granted him by Agoos.
74': Sanneh heads out when Figo crosses. Another corner.
75': Landon Donovan is taken off and Joe Max-Moore comes on. Couto, meanwhile, grapples a defender and is penalised.
75': Beasley down the left before Beto hacks him down.
75': Moore's kick is poor and Baia collects.
75': Hejduk fouls Bento. Another cross to be boomed in.
77': Conceicao is poor after Pauleta chips across goal. They need to show more composure in penetrative positions (don't we all).
78': A lull in play after Beasley goes down with cramp. Costa, who's been poor, is replaced by Nuno Gomes. Llamosa comes on for Pope.
79': Long ball is headed out by Agoos. Pinto's cushion header is bad and USA win a corner.
81': Pauleta swings at a through-ball. Gomes wanted a cross but the ball drifts behind.
82': Beasley down the left. He keeps the ball well. But McBride's link with Beasley comes to nothing.
82': Time ticking on....Portugal really need to force a goal.
83': Pinto shoots wide when team-mates were better placed.
84': Couto's long-ball is hacked clear by Cobi Jones.
85': Conceicao try to create something but the defending is dogged by the Americans. The Portugese are looking more and more ragged.
86': Couto fouls McBride when they contest a header.
88': USA take their time. Hedjuk pushes the ball forward to Baia. Portugese are desperate.
89': Cobi Jones holds the ball in the corner. Time-wasting of the highest order. Then he gets back to tackle.
89': Jones hold the ball in the corner once more and is fouled. Bento showing his desperation.
90': This will be held in the corner. We're in the 90th minute.
90': Two minutes added. And the Americans have a corner. Couto angry.
90': Back in the Portugese half. Pinto is stopped by Agoos, who's been heroic after his OG.
90': Beasley is booked for wasting time. One more chance for Portugal?
90': No there isn't. The ref puts his whistle to his lips and it's a famous victory for the Americans. Perhaps the greatest since the 1-0 victory over England in 1950.
90': What an amazing story. Portugal were poor but who would have believed that the USA would win? A win over the Koreans and it could be hello to the second round. We, of course, will bring you all the thrills and spills on June 10th.

Statistics

POR		USA
17	Fouls	20
2	Yellow Cards	1
0	Red Cards	0
3	Offsides	4
7	Corner Kicks	4
5	Saves	0
55	Possession	45
13	SHOTS	12
1	ON GOAL	7
0.1	On Target %	0.6
0	Penalty Goals	0
0	Penalty Kicks Taken	0
0	Accurate Passes	0
0	Passes	0
0.0	Pass Completion %	0.0
0	Accurate Crosses	0
18	Crosses	9
0.0	Cross %	0.0
0	Long Balls	0
0	Accurate Long Balls	0
0.0	Long Balls %	0.0
0	Blocked Shots	0
0	Effective Tackles	0
0	Tackles	0
0.0	Tackle %	0.0
0	Interceptions	0
0	Effective Clearances	0
4	Clearances	15

Game Information

Competition: FIFA World Cup

Venue: Suwon Stadium
Location: Suwon, South Korea

FIFA World Cup Table

#	TEAM	GP	GD	PTS
1	United States	0	0	0
2	Paraguay	0	0	0
3	Australia	0	0	0
4	Winner Playoff Path C	0	0	0

Full Table

Line-Ups

United States

No.	Name
1	Brad Friedel (GK)
12	Jeff Agoos
2	Frankie Hejduk
4	Pablo Mastroeni
23	Eddie Pope
22	Tony Sanneh
17	DaMarcus Beasley
21	Landon Donovan
5	John O'Brien
20	Brian McBride
8	Earnie Stewart

United States Substitutes:

Carlos Llamosa, Cobi Jones, Joe-Max Moore.

Portugal

No.	Name
1	Vitor Baia (GK)
2	Paulo Jorge Costa
5	Fernando Couto
23	Rui Jorge
22	Beto
11	Sergio Conceicao
7	Luis Figo
20	Petit
10	Rui Costa
9	Pedro Pauleta
8	Manuel Vieira Joao Pinto

Portugal Substitutes:

Jorge Andrade, Jorge Paulo Bento, Nuno Gomes.

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