The countdown to the 2026 World Cupis on! Each day ahead of the tournament’s return to North America, Yahoo Sports will highlight an insight or moment that showcases just how grand the world’s biggest sporting spectacle has become — even beyond the expanded field of this year’s global event.
Few opening matches in World Cup history carry the baggage the USMNT lugged into South Africa in 2010. Bob Bradley's squad weren’t just out for a result against England, they were out to make a statement.
After failing to advance out of the group stage in two of the previous three World Cups, there was pressure on the U.S. men to prove they belonged on the world stage.
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It didn’t take long for England’s first punch to be thrown. Just four minutes into the match Steven Gerrard opened the scoring. The U.S. would spend most of the first half chasing an equalizer until the 40th minute when they received a bit of luck.
Clint Dempsey spun and shed Gerrard just outside the England penalty area and hit a non-threatening left-footed shot on goal. The ball took two bounces and skipped over goalkeeper Rob Green’s hands and into the net to tie the game. It was a howler, but it would also be the only goal he allowed during the group stage.
The surprising draw drew a positive reaction from many in the U.S., including the New York Post. Known for its memorable headlines, the tabloid used the opportunity to celebrate the achievement against England with a backpage that only it could pull off.
USA wins 1-1
“USA WINS 1-1”
—@nypost headline after wild 2010 World Cup tie with England pic.twitter.com/NAg93kgNws— Tab City Diary (@TabCityDiary) November 25, 2022
The bit of good fortune is attributed by Dempsey to his sister, Jennifer, who died of a brain aneurysm when he was 12 years old.
“Throughout my career there wasn’t a lot of lucky goals that I had and I feel like that was my most lucky,” Dempsey told Men in Blazers in 2025. “It almost felt like that was my sister helping me out.”
The U.S. would end up topping Group C, beating out England by virtue of two more goals scored. Both teams, however, would fall in the Round of 16 with the Americans dropping a 2-1 match to Ghana after extra time and Germany scoring four times on Green during a 4-1 victory.
