Kansas City will once again host a high-stakes international soccer event when the U.S. Men's National Team takes the field against Guatemala tonight at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The decisive Group A match in CONCACAF's semifinal round of qualifying is the latest in a growing list of major international matches to be played in KC throughout the years.
To set the stage for tonight's crucial clash, SportingKC.com takes a look back at the history made here in KC on soccer's international stage:
November 2, 1968 - Kansas City was introduced to FIFA World Cup qualifying more than 40 years ago as Municipal Stadium hosted the United States and Bermuda in the first round of CONCACAF qualifying. It was a big year for soccer in the city, with the Kansas City Spurs breaking onto the scene for the inaugural NASL season. The U.S. entered needing a draw or win to stay in contention and came through with a 6-2 victory courtesy of a hat trick from Peter Millar. The U.S. would win the group finale to advance in qualifying, but fell to Haiti in the Semifinal Round with only one at-large berth available for CONCACAF, claimed by El Salvador, since the World Cup was being hosted by Mexico.
April 25, 2001 - Fast forward to a new millennium and U.S. Soccer selected Kansas City for the area's only final round FIFA World Cup qualifier to date. The third of 10 games in the Hexagonal, the United States hosted Costa Rica at Arrowhead Stadium in a battle of unbeatens as the USMNT were 2-0-0, while the visitors were 1-0-1. More than 37,000 were in attendance as the U.S. pulled off a 1-0 victory courtesy of Josh Wolff's goal, coming in what would be the only loss suffered by Costa Rica in qualifying (7-1-2). Both teams represented CONCACAF at the 2002 FIFA World Cup co-hosted by South Korea and Japan, with the U.S. reaching the quarterfinals in a memorable run that ended in controversial fashion against Germany.
June 14, 2011 - A decade later, and five days after the inaugural match at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park, the CONCACAF Gold Cup brought Kansas City the U.S. Men's National team as the headliner in a doubleheader that was the city's first and only taste of non-qualifying, international competition at the senior level. The U.S. entered the decisive group stage match against Guadeloupe needing a draw or win to advance to the quarterfinals. Thanks to Jozy Altidore's goal in the 9th minute, the U.S. got the full three points in a 1-0 win that would propel them onto the Gold Cup final.
March 31, 2012 - The future stars of CONCACAF were on display as the Men's Olympic Qualifying Tournament semifinals and championship (April 2) were held at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park. The stakes were high in the semifinal match-ups -- featuring the under-23 squads of Honduras-El Salvador and Mexico-Canada -- with the winners securing a berth at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Honduras and Mexico secured the spots and met in the final, a 2-1 triumph for Mexico in extra time that foreshadowed a strong showing for both squads at the Olympics. Honduras, featuring Sporting KC midfielder Roger Espinoza as one of the team's three overage selections, reached the quarterfinals before bowing out against tournament favorites Brazil. But it was Mexico that took home the gold medal, besting Brazil 2-1 in the final.
October 16, 2012 - The U.S. Men's National Team returns to LIVESTRONG Sporting Park for the final fixture in the semifinal round of World Cup qualifying. The U.S. and Guatemala are tied atop the group with 10 points, and could each face elimination with a loss. The U.S. has reached each of the last six FIFA World Cups and head coach Jurgen Klinsmann knows tonight's stop in KC is the most important yet on the road to Brazil. Might Sporting KC playmaker Graham Zusi feature in the starting lineup? He's started each of the last two World Cup qualifiers for the U.S., picking up an assist in the team's 2-1 win at Antigua and Barbuda on Friday. Watch live on ESPN2 with coverage beginning at 5:30 p.m. CT.
