the U.S.'s oh-for-forever victory drought on Mexican soil. The USA are 0-22-1 in Mexico all-time, and the biggest factor in the only tie (0-0) was the performance of Major League Soccer's most successful export -- goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
The Ohio-native knows a thing or two about streaks. He currently holds the English Premier League record for most consecutive games played at 182-and-counting. But back on Nov. 2, 1997, when the callow young ironman stepped onto the Estadio Azteca turf for the "golden point" World Cup qualifying game with Mexico, he was still struggling to get a work permit to play in England. Breaking through red tape, not breaking records, was on his mind in those days.
Such was the preoccupation of Friedel with his five-year quest for a work permit to play in the EPL that he doesn't even mention his historic south of the border shutout in his autobiography, "Thinking Outside the Box, My Journey in Search of the Beautiful Game," published earlier this year in England.
But he certainly does offer plenty of other insights in the book, be it the frigid, cold shoulder David James offered him upon landing at Liverpool ("... I don't think he knew how to handle fresh competition for his slot"), the 1998 World Cup debacle ("A lot of players took liberties and then blamed the manager ..."), or his decision to quit the national team briefly in 2001 ("If I am honest with myself, I feel a little bit ashamed that I behaved this way").
The book, like the ex-UCLA goalkeeper, is of a consistently excellent standard. The section on Friedel's stint in Turkey is worth the cost alone, the description of the flag-planting antics of Graeme Souness -- priceless. The book also demonstrates the lifeline MLS offers U.S. soccer players trying to build a professional career.
As a youngster, after watching Liverpool beat West Ham United in the 1980 Charity Shield at Wembley Stadium, Friedel dreamed of playing for Merseyside's mighty Reds. That, like posting a shutout in the Azteca, must have seemed about as likely for a kid from the Buckeye State as Woody Hayes singing the Michigan fight song.
The two-time Olympian had to overcome many obstacles to fulfill his dream, but meeting the exacting standards of British bureaucracy was by far the hardest. As a non-European Union citizen, he needed to play in 75 percent of U.S. national team games over a set period to qualify for the permit. After failing to meet the criteria while playing in Turkey, he decided to make a move that would help him achieve the necessary quota of games. He arranged a loan from his team in Turkey, Galatasaray, to the newly-formed Columbus Crew of MLS.
Friedel manned the Crew nets for most of the league's first two seasons, helping Columbus reach the playoffs and winning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors in 1997. He also managed to play the required number of games for the U.S. national team, gain his hard-earned EPL work permit and stymie Mexico in the Azteca along the way. It took stops in Liverpool, Newcastle, Denmark, Turkey and Columbus for Friedel to truly put his career on the path to soccer stardom.
Subsequently, the lanky 'keeper has won silverware with Blackburn Rovers and established himself as one of the best goalkeepers in EPL history. But his finest hour came in South Korea. At the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Friedel stood on his head as the U.S. national team advanced to the quarterfinals. His extensive highlight reel from Korea/Japan 2002 includes two penalty kick saves, a non-shootout feat matched only by Poland's Jan Tomaszewski in 1974.
As Friedel notes in his book, "the 2002 World Cup took the profile of soccer in the USA to another level." A win against Mexico come Aug. 12, and the current national team will make another huge stride across the U.S. sports consciousness. To gain that elusive victory, Tim Howard and Co. would do well to live by the words of Friedel in assessing how he finally got his equally elusive work permit.
"This was no miracle. It was down to intense focus, the power of persistence and taking control of what I could take control of. It was down to me," he said.
The 6-foot-2-inch goalkeeper has been making history ever since. Friedel will be hoping his countrymen will be doing the same in Mexico City three days before he kicks off his 13th EPL season at Villa Park on August 15.
2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup
As noted above, Mexico beat the U.S. 5-0 in the Gold Cup Final on July 26 at Giants Stadium. It was the worst loss on home soil for the U.S. since losing to England by the same score in 1985. Former D.C. United goalkeeper
Troy Perkins
got the start again in goal for the U.S., but could do little to stop Mexico's second-half onslaught. Former FC Dallas defender
Clarence Goodson
played the full 90, while the other MLS alumnus on the squad, ex-Rev
Michael Parkhurst
, didn't get off the bench.
In the semifinals, the U.S. beat Honduras, 2-0, at Soldier Field in Chicago. Goodson scored his first goal for the national team in the win as Perkins posted his third shutout of the Gold Cup.
UEFA Europa League
In second leg, second round preliminary play on Thursday, July 23, former Colorado Rapids midfielder
Tom McManus'
Derry City (Ireland) beat Skonto Riga (Latvia), 1-0, on a Kevin Deery goal. That win clinched the tie, 2-1 on aggregate. Derry will play CSKA Sofia (Bulgaria) in the third preliminary round.
Ex-FC Dallas striker Juan Toja and two-team-MLS veteran Douglas Sequeira were back in Europa League action as well last week. Toja's Steaua Bucharest (Romania) won 2-1 at Ujpest FC (Hungary.) Sequeira's Tromso IL (Norway) beat Dinamo Minsk (Belarus), 4-1 at home. Steaua advance to play Motherwell (Scotland), Tromso to play NK Slaven Koprivnica (Croatia).
In addition, Clint Dempsey's Fulham join the competition in the third preliminary round. The Cottagers will play FK Vetra (Lithuania). Troy Perkins' Valerenga (Norway) will face PAOK Salonika (Greece.) All games are played over two legs with the first legs to be played on July 30, and the return legs on August 6.
Elsewhere around the world
In Bolivia, in Week 2 of the Torneo Clausura, former MetroStars midfielder
Joselito Vaca
played the full 90 as Oriente Petrolero tied 0-0 at Aurora.
In Brazil, in Week 14 of the Campeonato Brasileirao, on Saturday, July 25, former MetroStars defender Danilo da Silva rode the bench as Internacional lost 3-2 at Botafogo. The loss dropped Internacional into a tie for fourth place.
In Colombia, in Week 3 of the Copa Mustang II, former MetroStars striker Sergio Galvan Rey came off the bench at halftime to rally Atletico National to a 2-1 home win over Atletico Junior on Sunday. The forward scored Nacional's tying goal in the 65th minute. Ezequiel Maggiolo scored the game winner five minutes from time.
In Denmark, U.S. national team and former Galaxy defender Danny Califf was substituted after 70 minutes as FC Midtjylland was trounced 4-0 at newly promoted Silkeborg IF. After two games, the Wolves have yet to score a goal in the new Danish campaign. Michael Parkhurst's FC Nordsjaelland's game at Aalborg BK was postponed on Sunday with Wild Tigers defender Jonathan Richter fighting for his life in a hospital after being struck by lightning in a reserve team game on July 20.
In Ecuador, in Week 2 of the Segunda Fase, El Nacional lost at CD Cuenca, 1-0 on a Rodrigo Texeira goal. Former MetroStars and LA Galaxy midfielder Wellington Sanchez played the full 90 for El Nacional.
In England, 2009 Confederations Cup star Clint Dempsey scored Fulham's first goal in the preseason exhibition game 3-3 tie at Peterborough.
In Mexico, in Week 1 of the Torneo Apertura, former Chivas USA striker Francisco Palencia played the full 90 and picked up a yellow card as the Pumas went down 1-0 at Atlas on an Edgar Pacheco strike.
In Norway, on Saturday, July 25, ex-Red Bulls full back Hunter Freeman played the full 90 as IK Start staged a dramatic late game rally to tie Stabaek IF 2-2. Trailing by two goals at home after 76 minutes, strikes from Bard Borgensen and Christian Bolanos in the 87th and 88th minutes respectively, earned Start a point.
On Sunday, July 26, MLS veteran Thiago Martins scored FK Bodo Glimt's opening goal in the 4-2 loss at SK Brann Bergen. Former Real Salt Lake defender Willis Forko played the full 90 for BG. Also on Sunday, ex-Fire and Wizards midfielder Khari Stephenson played the full 90 for Aalesunds FK in their 1-1 home tie with Fredrikstad FK. Aalesunds former Revs goalkeeper Adin Brown continues to rehab from heel surgery. Another former MLS goalkeeper, Kenny Stamatopoulos, gave up a quintet of goals on Sunday. The ex-Toronto FC goalkeeper's FC Lyn Oslo remain firmly anchored to the bottom of the Tippeligaen standings after losing 5-2 at Viking Stavanger.
In Peru, on Saturday, July 25, in Week 23 of the Primera Professional de Peru, former D.C. United goalkeeper Jose Carvallo's Sporting Cristal were a goal down and a man down when Carlos Lobaton scored in the 89th minute to secure a 2-2 tie at Bolognesi.
In Scotland, crisis club Livingston crashed out of the Alba Challenge Cup, 1-0, at Queen of the South on Saturday. Livi manager John Murphy, a former Revs assistant coach, faces a huge challenge in West Lothian. The club went into administration last week, and the players agreed to play on Saturday knowing there was no money to pay their wages. The team has even sold the team bus to try and raise cash. To add insult to injury, former Livi star Barry Willson scored the Queens goal.
Tradewinds
Napoli head coach, and former MetroStars midfielder
Roberto Donadoni
has signed goalkeeper Morgan De Sanctis from Spain's FC Sevilla. The Italian international signed a four-year contract after spending last season on loan in Turkey with Galatasaray.
Performance of the Week
In the aftermath of ex-Rev
Michael Parkhurst's
FC Nordsjaelland teammate Jonathan Richter being struck by lightning during a game in Copenhagen on July 20, Danish league officials sanctioned the postponement of the team's game on Sunday at Aalborg BK. With Richter in a coma and fighting for his life, the 24-year-old's teammates (including his twin brother Simon), fellow professionals at Aalborg and Danish authorities demonstrated that soccer is not life and death, it's much less important than that. Such perspective is all too rare in the beautiful game and the reaction in Denmark is a worthy performance of the week. Even more importantly, here's to a speedy and full recovery for Jonathan Richter.
Mark C. Young is an Emmy Award-winning freelance writer/TV producer who has covered several FIFA World Cups and Olympic Games. He is a contributor to Goal.com and also writes for the blog "No Mas."
