A look at a bizarre World Cup moment, after-the-jump ...
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Ten years ago this October, the final day of qualifications for the World Cup from North, Central America and the Carribean (CONCACAF) was held … with a bizarre twist. Sadly, the best video from that night has been removed from YouTube … but a shorter (and grainier) version survives, that still tells the tale.
At that time, this conference was guaranteed three spots in the 2014 World Cup to be held the next year in Brazil, with a fourth to go into a two-game playoff against the champion of Oceania (which was to be New Zealand). After various group play stages, the final group of six (nicknamed the Hexagonal, or Hex) featured the US, Mexico, Costa Rica, Jamaica, Panama and Honduras. Each nation would play home-and-away against all five opponents, with 3 points for a win, 1 apiece for a draw.
And going into the final day (with all three matches played simultaneously, to thwart tanking) the standings were an uncommon sight. The U.S had already clinched 1st place, Costa Rica 2nd place and Honduras (nearly) 3rd place.
Mexico, the traditional powerhouse of the group, had slept-walked … yet going into the final match, had the 4th place playoff slot to themselves ... as long as, though, the Nightmare Scenario did not occur. That is: if Mexico lost on the road to Costa Rica, and Panama defeated the US at home (due to tie-breakers).
While Costa Rica had no direct incentive, other Latin American nations have long felt slighted by Mexican attitudes, so Costa Rica may have had some incentive.
At half-time, Mexico and Costa Rica were 1-1, and Panama led the US 1-0. Then around the same time in the second half, Costa Rica took a 2-1 lead, and the US equalized … so with ½ hour left, Mexico was clear to claim fourth place. The team looked sluggish, and Mexican announcers ragged on them for their play. But as-it-stood … Mexico was clear to go to New Zealand.
Then, with just seven minutes to go (before added time) in Panama City … Luis Tejada puts Panama ahead 2-1 … and if both scorelines held, Panama goes to the World Cup. And when the game went into just 3 minutes of added time … it looked over.
With just 95 seconds remaining, Luis Tejada has the ball in the US end, with teammates on the sideline (where they can stall for time). Instead, he sees an opening and tries for a clincher … when three defenders take the ball away and march upfield. A centering pass to Graham Zusi… and his header equalizes at 2-2.
Panama takes the kickoff and tries to regain the lead with a shot-on-goal … but the goalkeeper saved it and once again, a US counterattack leads to a late Aron Johanson goal to result in a 3-2 US victory.
Earlier, Mexican TV Azteca was showing a split-screen: with the Panama-US match (EUA for the US) on the left and the Mexico-Costa Rica match on the right. And this is where the (deleted) longer video was better: as the Mexican announcers were trashing the national team, not only for the lackluster 2nd half vs. Costa Rica, but the overall team performance (with English subtitles).
In this short (and rather blurry) version that begins halfway through the 3-min added time … you can hear main announcer Christian Martinoli break into English after Graham Zusi’s equalizer:
“We love you forever and ever! God Bless America!”
He continued on (even through the resulting Panama shot-on-goal) and once again went into delirium at the clinching goal.
Here is part of his rant for the ages:
"It is because of the USA that we are being placed in the playoff ...BECAUSE OF THEM , NOT DUE TO YOU..NOT ANY OF YOU in the green shirts ....IT WAS THEM!!.NOT YOU!..THEY DID IT!!!!! NOT YOU! remember this forever..... KEEP THIS CLEARLY IN MIND FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIVES! You do NOTHING for the shirt, you do NOT put the effort, you have NOT placed us in the playoffs , you HAVE NOT placed us in the WORLD CUP ..YOU WOULD NOT HAVE KEPT US ALIVE....IT WAS ESTADOS UNIDOS, NOT YOU! NOT YOU AND YOUR ARROGANCE/CONCEIT.....NOT YOU AND YOUR INFAMY....NOT YOU AND YOUR MORONS/PUNKS....
Mexican newspapers were also using English … nor happy with their team.
Here was the final Hexagonal standings — but for the final two US goals allowed, Panama would have been level with Mexico on points (11), goal differential (-2) and would have advanced via the next tie-breaker Goals For (10 vs. 7)
To the relief of many in Mexico … the team did wake-up. They won both legs of the home-and-away playoff with New Zealand (5-1 and 4-2) to reach the World Cup … and once there, advanced out of the 32-team group stage to the Round of 16, before losing to the (eventual) third-place Netherlands.
Let’s close with this Chicago blues classic by Elmore James.
Now, on to Top Comments:
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