The U.S. Men’s National Team doesn’t have an “official” home venue, but MAPFRE Stadium is arguably the closest thing to it. The U.S. is undefeated in the country’s first soccer-specific stadium, going 7-0-3 all-time and 6-0-2 in World Cup qualifying matches. As we’re counting down the days to the March 29 World Cup qualifier vs. Guatemala in Columbus, we’re taking a look at the USMNT’s seven wins at MAPFRE Stadium. Here's win No 4.
Four times the U.S. Men’s National Team has faced Mexico in FIFA World Cup qualification at MAPFRE Stadium. Four times it defeated its southern neighbor with a final score of 2-0. The second of the four “Dos a Ceros” came on September 3, 2005.
On that warm fall night in Columbus, a sold-out MAPFRE Stadium featured a crowd of 24,685. The USMNT lineup featured Crew SC legend Brian McBride, active Black & Gold player Frankie Hejduk and current Columbus head coach, Gregg Berhalter, who at the time played for FC Energie Cottbus in Germany.
Both teams struggled in a scoreless first half, but pushed by the raucous Columbus crowd the U.S. took over early in the second. A swift header tap-in by Steve Ralston in the 53rd minute and a DaMarcus Beasley goal off a well-executed corner kick in the 58th secured the USMNT’s fourth consecutive win at MAPFRE Stadium.
With the victory, the United States clinched a spot in the FIFA World Cup for the fifth consecutive time. It was the first time since 1934 that the U.S. became the first CONCACAF team to qualify for a World Cup.
