"expected" loss to powerhouse Germany, they were expected to demoralize their next two opponents, Iran and Yugoslavia.  The U.S. was defeated in both matches, managing to score only one goal in all three games combined. 

Fortunes changed four years ago when the U.S. once again advanced past Round 1.  The U.S. tied host country(ies) South Korea (Japan was the other host country), defeated Portugal, and lost to Poland.  At about 2:00 a.m. the second round game was played (keep in mind, the game was played halfway around the world), the U.S. against their newly hated rivals, the always-tough Mexico team.

The game was sparked by a number of flagrant fouls by Mexico but the U.S. played a near-flawless game and prevailed 2-0.  Next stop:  the quarterfinals (World Cup equivalent to NCAA basketball's Elite 8) against Germany.  Germany defeated the U.S. 1-0 and went on to lose the championship game to Brazil

But a question often asked is, "how did the U.S. reach the World Cup?"  It all began almost three years ago.  To qualify for the World Cup, a team must go through three rounds of play, the preliminary round, the semifinal round and the final round.

In the preliminary round, it is played as a cup system involving 10-three team groups and 2-two team groups.  The 12 group winners advance to the semifinal round. Matches began in February 2004.  The U.S. was placed in the North/Central

America region.

The U.S. was in Group 1 and was the top seed.  The two lower seeds, Grenada and Guyana, played for the right to face the U.S.  Grenada prevailed but was defeated by the U.S by scores of 3-0 and 3-2.  The United States advanced to the preliminary round.

In the preliminary round, the 12 advancing teams are paired into 3-four team groups.  Each team plays two matches each with their three opponents. The top two teams in each group advances to the final round.  The U.S was in Group 1 with Panama, El Salvador, and Jamaica.  The Americans advanced (Panama did as well with the #2 seed) by compiling a 3-0-3 record.  The U.S. defeated El Salvador twice (2-0 each time) and Panama 6-0.  All three ties were 1-1, twice to Jamaica

and the other to Panama.

In the finals, the six teams square off two times each against their five opponents.  The top three teams advance to the World Cup and the fourth team is matched with the fifth best Asian team for one spot in the World Cup.  In finals action, the U.S. posted a 7-2-1 record, tying them with Mexico for first place. 

The Unites States defeated Trinidad & Tobago (2-1, 1-0) and Panama (3-0, 2-0) twice, and Guatemala (2-0), Costa Rica (3-0), and Mexico (2-0).  The one tie was to Guatemala (0-0) and the two