Wisconsin Soccer Central

June 5, 2002: The U.S. national team held on for a famous 3-2 victory over heavily favored Portugal in its opener of the World Cup in Suwon, South Korea. Brian McBride scored what proved to be the game-winner in the 36th minute, giving the U.S. a stunning 3-0 lead off a cross from Tony Sanneh (UW-Milwaukee). It turned out the play's roots dated to Milwaukee in 1994, when the two were teammates with the Milwaukee Rampage. "We joked about it in the locker room, it is a play we have done a thousand times," McBride said after the match. "I took a step in at the far post and lost my marker. He delivered a beautiful cross and I knocked it home."