U.S. Top Mexico 2-0, Clinch Berth in 2006 World Cup

ussoccer.com - News - Full Story: "



RSS Feed

U.S. Top Mexico 2-0, Clinch Berth in 2006 World Cup
9/3/05 9:07 PM




U.S. MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM HEADED TO GERMANY FOR 2006 FIFA
WORLD CUP WITH 2-0 VICTORY AGAINST MEXICO IN COLUMBUS

• Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley Score as U.S. Qualifies for Fifth Consecutive World Cup
• U.S. Becomes the First Team from CONCACAF to Qualify for the World Cup, Marking the First Time Since 1934
• Keller Records 50th International Victory With the U.S. MNT, Increases Shutout Streak in 2006 World Cup qualifying to 507 Minutes
• World Cup Draw to Take Place in Leipzig, Germany on Dec. 9

COLUMBUS, Ohio (September 3, 2005) – The U.S. Men’s National Team earned a berth to the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany with a 2-0 victory against Mexico this evening in front of a raucous sold-out crowd of 24,685 fans at Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. After a scoreless first half, Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley scored in a six-minute span to qualify the U.S. for their fifth consecutive World Cup.

This is the first time since 1934 that the U.S. was the first team from the CONCACAF region to qualify for the World Cup, as Mexico was unable to clinch with the defeat. The U.S. became the eighth country to qualify for the 32-team FIFA World Cup, joining host Germany, Japan, Iran, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Argentina and Ukraine, which also qualified today. The draw for the 2006 FIFA World Cup will be held on December 9 in Leipzig, Germany.

With the victory, the U.S. sits atop the hexagonal at 18 points, two ahead of Mexico, with three matches still left to play in the final round of CONCACAF qualifying. The U.S. will travel to Guatemala City on Monday in preparation for the game against Guatemala at Estadio Mateo Flores on Wednesday (live at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN2). "