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| December 14th 2004 |
Madrid, Estadio Santiago Bernabeu
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| SPAIN - UNITED STATES |
5-1 (1-0)
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GOALS 3' 1-0 José Miguel Michel
49' 2-0 Raul Gonzalez Blanco
59' 3-0 Emilio Butragueno
65' 4-0 Jacinto de Quincoces
71' 4-1 Joe Gaetjens
84' 5-1 Emilio Butragueno
REFEREE David Cesar Arnaldo Coelho (Brazil)
ATTENDANCE 95,000
YELLOW CARDS Lalas (USA)
SPAIN (Coach: Miguel Munoz, system 4-3-3)
1 Ricardo Zamora
20 Juan Segarra
19 Jacinto de Quincoces
6 Fernando Hierro
2 José Antonio Camacho (captain)
8 José Miguel Michel
10 Luis Suarez (-68)
3 Rafael Gordillo
13 Estanislao Basora (-46)
9 Emilio Butragueno (-88)
11 Francisco Gento
Substitutes
7 Raul Gonzalez Blanco (+46)
6 José Pirri (+68)
15 Telmo Zarra (+88)
UNITED STATES (Coach: Bruce Arena, system 4-3-3)
1 Tony Meola (captain)
5 Tom Dooley
20 Alexi Lalas
17 Marcelo Balboa
3 Paul Caligiuri
6 John Harkes (-52)
8 James Brown
12 Claudio Reyna (-75)
16 Earnest Stewart (-71)
9 Joe Gaetjens
11 Eric Wynalda
Substitutes
13 Tab Ramos (+52)
15 Clint Mathis (+71)
14 Landon Donovan (+75)
MATCHREPORT
The opening match of a huge tournament, in a huge stadium and in a huge
atmosphere: Spain opened the All Time World Cup on home soil in Madrid,
against the United States. Everything pointed in the direction of the home
team and that appeared to be how it all happened.
Spain started the game overwhelming and the United States were the minnows
right away. From the second corner, the ball fell for José Michel's feet who
beat Tony Meola with a clean shot into the right corner: 1-0 after just 3
minutes. People in the stand started counting for ten goals and Spain was
well on its way. The United States had no answer whatsoever on the wave of
attacks that the Spaniards launched, and most of all outside midfielders
Michel and Gordillo were outstanding. Time and again they ran past their
opponents and fed their forwards with good crosses. Butragueno however saw
Meola parry three attempts.
After 20 minutes the USA could free themselves a bit and it became more of
an even game. Ricardo Zamora in the Spanish goal had to wake up and made
a great save on Joe Gaetjens' header. Before the break nothing special
happened. The USA, from a quality point of view not even near Spain, couldn't
really threaten the home team and Spain themselves tried to knock-out the
Americans from a counter attack.
That knock-out came immediately after the break. Raul Gonzalez Blanco, who
had come into the game at half time in place of the slightly injured Basora,
got a neat pass from Luis Suarez on the edge of the penalty area. He didn't
hesitate and put the ball behind Meola. Two-nil, game over and the show
could begin! Spain decided to treat their spectators and it wouldn't be long
before the next goal was scored. The Real-"twins" Michel and Butragueno
proved their quality once more. Michel powered past Caligiuri, who looked
out of place on this level, delivered a half high cross and Butragueno did
the rest: 3-0. Six minutes later defender Jacinto de Quincoces headed a new
Michel cross behind Meola and it now started to become a drama for the USA.
They tried to avoid a humiliation by making it a more physical game, it cost
Alexi Lalas the only yellow card of the game. Given by the fine Brazilian
referee Arnaldo Coelho, who also was the man in charge of the 1982 final.
Then, all out of the blue, the goal for the USA. A long pass surprised the
central defenders De Quincoces and Hierro – both not the quickest – and
Gaetjens curled around Zamora: 4-1. However when Butragueno, in the 84th
minute, put a 5th goal behind Meola – a fine shot from the turn – the
difference was confirmed and clear enough. Coach Miguel Munoz substituted
the Madrid-born Butragueno and El Buitre was given a standing ovation. Telmo
Zarra was brought into the game but wasn't expected to make the first 11
soon with Butragueno in this form.
Spain 5, United States 1. Naming Spain as a favourite for this tournament
seemed to be too early. They had convinced but the USA had been weak. In the
course of this tournament they could expect far stronger opposition. The USA
were the Olympic participants, for whom being there would be more important
than winning. Every goal welcome, every point a miracle.
On Friday: in Group C Holland take on South Korea with Dutch coach Guus
Hiddink, at the Wembley Stadium in London. Will Johan Cruijff and his men
start as well as they did in 1974, or will Korea be able to continue its
fine form from 2002? Georges Capdeville from France, who was the referee in
the 1938 final, again blows the whistle.
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