Following up on my earlier best-of list for club matches of the 2000s, here is my list (in chronological order) of what I felt were the best national team matches of the 2000s involving CONCACAF sides.
Honduras vs. Peru, 2000 Gold Cup Quarterfinal. This Gold Cup marked the return of Honduras to regional prominence, and this match was a cracker, full of rapid-fire scoring, thrilling end-to-end action, and a fiery atmosphere on the field and in the stands. Peru raced out to a 2-0 lead in the opening ten minutes, Honduras pulled one back before the half. In the second half, Peru scored another pair in two minutes, followed by Honduras scoring two in two minutes. The rest of the match was on a knife's edge, but finally Peru scored their fifth with two minutes to go, and then all hell broke loose. Two Honduran players were sent off (including Carlos Pavón), part of the partisan Honduran crowd invaded the Orange Bowl, and the match was abandoned. An intense match that unfortunately will be remembered for how it ended.
Canada vs. Colombia, 2000 Gold Cup Final. The biggest win in Canadian soccer history, and their biggest achievement since their appearance at Mexico '86. What an unlikely route to glory: first Canada won a coin toss over South Korea to pass to the knockout stage, then upset the defending champions Mexico on a golden goal, defeated Trinidad & Tobago thanks to a brilliant Craig Forrest in goal, and then knocked off Colombia in the final. The match itself wasn't the greatest, but the end result will live long in the memory of Canadian soccer fans.
Costa Rica vs. Mexico, 2001 Hexagonal Round 4. The Aztecazo. The first time Mexico had ever lost a home World Cup qualifier at the Azteca. What was amazing about this match was that Costa Rica came from a goal down to win it. The free kick by Rolando Fonseca to win the game ranks among the most important in Costa Rican football history. Mexico would hit rock bottom by losing 3-1 at Honduras four days later, which marked the end of Enrique Meza and the arrival of Javier Aguirre.
USA vs. Portugal, 2002 World Cup Group stage. I was packing my bags to take a cross-country flight to Miami (and eventually Argentina), and decided to stay up to watch USA-Portugal until Portugal scored. Portugal did score, but by then it was 3-1 to USA and there was no way I was going to sleep. What a brave performance and an incredible win by the USA. I even ran out onto the street with my American flag at 5:30am to celebrate! No one else joined me, but nonetheless...
USA vs. Mexico, 2002 World Cup Round of 16. The match-up that every US soccer fan wanted to see produced perhaps the most satisfying result in a long, long time. A complete and well-deserved victory saw the Americans advance to the final eight of the World Cup for the first time (the 1930 World Cup had just 13 teams with the group winners advancing to the semifinals). Bruce Arena's formation change in that match was selected as the best tactical display of the World Cup by World Soccer magazine. The fact that the Mexican players took the long way home to avoid their irate fans was a fun bonus. The lady at the front desk of the hotel where I was staying in Argentina exclaimed, "How is it that we're out of the World Cup and the Americans are in the final eight??"
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Mexico, 2005 Hexagonal Round 10. Guatemala were winning at home to Costa Rica and Trinidad & Tobago needed to win at home to an already qualified Mexico. Mexico opened the scoring on an audacious lob by Jaime Lozano, then Trinidad & Tobago equalized on a goal by Stern John that I thought was offside. The match was settled on the hour with a wonder strike by Stern John from outside the penalty area. What a dramatic match, and what a disciplined and composed performance by a Trinidadian side that hasn't always shown it in the past.
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Bahrain, 2005 World Cup Qualifying Playoff. The night that Trinidad & Tobago vanquished the ghosts of 1989. I thought that they had wasted a huge opportunity when they only drew 1-1 with Bahrain in Port-of-Spain, but the Soca Warriors flew halfway around the world and defeated the Asian side 1-0 in the desert. Yet another display of steel by Beenhakker's men.
Argentina vs. Mexico, 2006 World Cup Round of 16. It was a shame that Mexico had to exit again at this stage once again, but they gave their best performance of the tournament against one of the best sides in the world. They forced Argentina to play their best football again and again, and it required a fantastic strike by Maxi Rodríguez to finally vanquish the Mexicans after 120 minutes.
Trinidad & Tobago vs. Sweden, 2006 World Cup Group Stage. This was one of those goalless draws that turned out to be one of the results of the tournament. A heroic performance by the Soca Warriors in their first ever appearance at the World Cup finals, especially by Shaka Hislop in goal and Dwight Yorke, well, everywhere.
El Salvador vs. Panama, 2010 World Cup Qualifying Round 2. A series that marked the resurgence of El Salvador and a blown opportunity for Panama. Panama won by the minimum in Panama City, and had scored an away goal to force El Salvador to score three goals. Blas Pérez will always remember that miss in front of goal that could have given Panama a 2-0 lead in San Salvador. In the driving rain, El Salvador roared back to score those three goals in the final half hour.
USA vs. Honduras, 2009 Hexagonal Round 9. I said immediately after the match that this was the best CONCACAF World Cup qualifier of the decade, and I still stand by that. A thrilling high-intensity match played under tense circumstances (Honduras' political crisis), excellent performances by Conor Casey and Landon Donovan, fightbacks, momentum swings, and a penalty miss by Carlos Pavón in the final minutes. The USA clinched their place in the World Cup finals, while Honduras would have to wait four more days to ensure their spot, thanks to the USA.
Hey, I ran out into the street after Portugal match also! And I was only wearing my boxer shorts at the time!
Posted by: John | January 21, 2010 at 05:53 AM
I am surprised that no Guadalupe gold cup games made it or the recent USA vs Costa Rica tie that put Honduras into the world cup
Posted by: J | January 22, 2010 at 02:33 PM
Well I didn't say that the list was definitive, and I don't expect everyone to agree with me. Guadeloupe did have a good run in the last two Gold Cups, especially in 2007, but I didn't think any of their matches were among the best of the decade. I do think finishing 4th in the Gold Cup was one of the big stories of the decade, though. As for the USA-Costa Rica match, there's a much stronger case for including that.
The Portugal match was such a great moment; I'm sure every American soccer fans remembers where they were when they were watching it.
Posted by: Howard Hamilton | January 24, 2010 at 02:32 PM
Because El Salvador came back vs Panama, I will/have never again leave a game/bar early. A really unreal comeback and because of that win, now we have 5 salvadorans in MLS.
Posted by: tsm | February 03, 2010 at 09:13 AM
heck of a comeback for ES against panama, and many said ES would be the easiest of the Hexagonal, which was not the case, out of 8 points got 4 from the two top dogs in concacaf, blown chances against Trinidad and Honduras could have firmly put them into a closer step to make the WC. not to mention pretty much killed the chances of CRC w/ the last minute 0-1 heart breaker in San salvador.
Posted by: rod | February 05, 2010 at 07:50 AM
2007 Gold Cup Final!!!!! How can it not be mentioned? One of the greatest US games of all time.
Posted by: Ryan | February 08, 2010 at 11:09 AM