Jimmy Conrad solved the Mexican backline for a goal in 2007. (Jeff Lewis/USA TODAY Sports)
With the United States and Mexico looking ahead to for their international friendly in Nashville, Tenn. Sept. 11, FrontRowSoccer.com is looking back at some of the most memorable matches between these two archrivals. Today, we look back at another dos a cero U.S. triumph 11 years ago.
GLENDALE, Ariz. — It was only an international friendly, but a familiar score surfaced when the United States played Mexico at the University of Phoenix Stadium on Feb. 7, 2007:
2-0
As in dos a cero.
Landon Donovan set up one goal and added another in stoppage time as the U.S. beat Mexico 2-0 before 62,462 spectators.
Despite an apparent disadvantage in their Starting XI, the Americans outplayed El Tri. The visitors’ attack sputtered and put up few clear scoring chances.
The USA capitalized on its opportunities to beat Mexico for the seventh time in their past eight meetings on American soil.
Mexico has not scored a goal against the Americans in the U.S. since 1999.
Mexico head coach Hugo Sanchez deployed a lineup that consisted of World Cup veterans, European-based stars and Mexican league heroes. The hosts countered with a mixture of World Cup veterans and youngsters from Major League Soccer.
In the 52nd minute, Donovan sent a corner kick to the far side of the penalty area. Conrad had enough time to settle, rise and slam the header past a diving goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez. A large swath of supporters rose and cheered loudly for the U.S., perhaps the first time in the match that the home fans made more noise than the green-clad supporters.
Minutes later, Mexican midfielder Andres Guardado slipped a dangerous ball across the penalty area but the ball skipped harmlessly to the other side.
Conrad came up big on the defensive end as well. In the 62nd minute, Jared Borgetti dropped a pass to Francisco Fonseca, but Conrad knocked Fonseca’s shot into touch.
U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard made his mark minutes later when he caught an Omar Bravo attempt on the goal line.
Mexico finished the game with four strikers, but it was Donovan who finally broke through and scored the second goal. He sprinted past the Mexican backline, evaded Sanchez and slipped the ball into the back of the net.
Lineups:
United States: Tim Howard; Jonathan Bornstein, Carlos Bocanegra, Jimmy Conrad, Chris Albright (Joshua Gros, 68); Bobby Convey, Pablo Mastroeni, Ricardo Clark, Clint Dempsey (Brian Carroll, 75); Landon Donovan, Chris Rolfe (Eddie Johnson, 64).
Mexico: Oswaldo Sanchez; Ricardo Osorio, Rafael Marquez, Carlos Salcido; Ramon Morales (Andres Guardado, 46), Gonzalo Pineda, Gerardo Torrado (Omar Bravo, 63), Pavel Pardo, Alberto Medina (Francisco Fonseca, 46); Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Adolfo Bautista, 46), Jared Borgetti.
Goals
United States – Conrad (Donovan) 52
United States – Donovan 90
Discipline
United States – Bornstein 10
Mexico – Salcido 11
Mexico – Torrado 59
