Wins at Estadio Azteca are rare for the U.S. men’s national team, but merely scoring goals itself has been difficult for U.S. players away from home throughout their rivalry with Mexico.
While Dos a Cero has been a regular scoreline on U.S. soil, the Americans have struggled to score in the altitude and hostile environment of the famed Mexico City stadium, which is the site of Thursday night’s World Cup qualifier—potentially the last one between the U.S. and Mexico ever.
Entering the match, only six U.S. players had ever scored at the Azteca, starting with Willy Roy in 1972. From there, it’s been Rick Davis (1980), Eddie Lewis (2005), Charlie Davies (2009), Michael Orozco (2012) and Michael Bradley (2017). For all of the prolific attacking players the U.S. has had over the years, and especially through the modern era, with co-all-time leading scorers Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey, only that select group has managed to find the back of the net.
While Orozco’s improbable goal led to the only win the U.S. has ever had in Mexico City (in a friendly), Bradley’s goal was particularly memorable. In the sixth minute of the last World Cup qualifier there, he intercepted a pass in the center circle, surged forward and looked up to catch Guillermo Ochoa off his line. Bradley took his chance and took it well, stunning the partisan crowd with one of the best U.S. goals ever. Carlos Vela’s 23rd-minute equalizer was all that prevented it from being a historic match-winner, too.
If a seventh American (or more) scores in the Mexican capital Thursday night, it could wind up having a far greater impact, with the U.S. on the cusp of returning to the World Cup after missing out in 2018.
