The U.S. Men’s National Team is back in Tampa, Fla. for the first time since 2018 as it faces World Cup-bound Uruguay on Tuesday evening at Raymond James Stadium. The contest between the North and South American powers marks the 10th match the USMNT has played in Tampa.
From a pair of positive results against European opposition to Landon Donovan’s hat-trick heroics, take a look back at some of the USMNT’s most memorable moments across four decades and three venues in Tampa.
USMNT makes Tampa debut against European opposition
United States 1 – 1 Switzerland (2/8/85)
The USMNT took the field in Tampa for the first time back in 1985, hosting Switzerland in an international friendly at the University of Tampa’s Pepin-Rood Stadium in what was the United States’ third match in Florida. The Swiss opened the scoring early through reigning Swiss Footballer of the Year Heinz Hermann, much to the dismay of the 3,500 spectators in downtown Tampa.
The United States responded early in the second half through local favorite and Tampa Bay Rowdies legend Perry Van der Beck, who netted the equalizer in his first match of his U.S. Soccer Male Player of the Year-winning 1985 campaign with the national team. The goal was Van der Beck’s second in as many matches for the national team and would turn out to be the final of his 23 caps.
USMNT picks up first win against UEFA foe in a decade
United States 2 – 1 Finland (3/10/90)
The USMNT returned to Tampa in 1990, this time taking on Finland for the first—and so far, only time—in an international exhibition at the expansive Tampa Stadium, home of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tampa Bay Rowdies, and known colloquially as ‘The Big Sombrero.’ With a starting lineup featuring six future National Soccer Hall of Fame inductees, the United States relied on goals from Paul Caligiuri and Bruce Murray and a strong performance in goal from 20-year-old Kasey Keller to defeat Finland 2-1 and claim its first victory against a European opponent since 1980. The win marked Keller’s first victory as a starter for the USMNT.
Landon Donovan scores early, late to sink Ecuador
United States 3 – 1 Ecuador (3/25/07)
Following a 12-year hiatus, the USMNT returned to Tampa and hosted Ecuador in the former’s first match at Raymond James Stadium. Sandwiched between the 2006 FIFA World Cup and the 2007 Concacaf Gold Cup, the United States hosted a quintet of tune-ups highlighted by matches against Denmark, Mexico and Ecuador—all ranked in the top 25 of the FIFA World Ranking at the time—to start the year.
A 25-year-old Landon Donovan, now the United States’ joint-all-time leading scorer, got things going just 35 second into the contest, smashing in a feeble Ecuador clearance from the top of the box, bringing the crowd of over 30,000 to its feet before many of them could take their seats. It took Donovan just over an hour to bag the second hat trick of his decorated senior national team career, helping the United States defeat Ecuador, 3-1, and hand La Tri its first loss since its record Round of 16 performance at the 2006 World Cup.
Brian Ching, Sacha Kljestan power USMNT to comeback victory in stoppage time
United States 2 – 1 El Salvador (2/24/10)
After a scoreless first half at Raymond James Stadium against Concacaf foe El Salvador, La Selecta’s Rudis Corrales broke the deadlock in the 59th minute for the visitors. The Salvadoran elation would be short lived, though, as Brian Ching orchestrated an epic 15-minute comeback with a goal in the 75th minute and an assist on Sacha Kljestan’s winner in the second minute of second-half stoppage time. The comeback victory in front of over 21,000 ensured the United States’ unbeaten streak against El Salvador was extended to an incredible 15 consecutive matches.
United States begin World Cup qualifying campaign with win
United States 3 – 1 Antigua and Barbuda (6/8/12) | FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
The USMNT kicked off its ultra-successful 2014 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 3-1 victory against Antigua and Barbuda on a rainy evening at Raymond James Stadium—the first competitive victory of Jürgen Klinsmann’s tenure as USMNT head coach. Through goals from Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey and Herculez Gomez, the United States knocked off Antigua and Barbuda in front of nearly 25,000 in the pair’s first meeting.
Jordan Morris bags first brace, Cristian Roldan earns first cap
United States 3 – 2 Martinique (7/12/2017) | Concacaf Gold Cup
En route to its fifth Concacaf Gold Cup crown in 15 years, the USMNT earned the first victory of its unbeaten 2017 Gold Cup campaign with a 3-2 win against Martinique at Raymond James Stadium. Though Les Matinino successfully erased a two-goal deficit via Kévin Parsemain’s nine-minute, second-half brace, Jordan Morris came through with a late winner for the hosts to complete the first brace of his senior national team career. Notably, a 22-year-old Cristian Roldan picked up his first of 42 caps and the midfielder will have a chance to earn his 43rd on Nov. 18 when the USMNT returns to Tampa to host World Cup-bound Uruguay.
Local product makes debut in front of record crowd
United States 2 – 4 Colombia (10/11/18)
Though the United States suffered a 4-2 loss against Colombia in the former’s most recent match in Tampa, the international friendly at Raymond James was notable for several reasons. The early October contest against the CONMEBOL power marked the highest-ranked opponent to face the USMNT in Tampa (No. 14 in FIFA World Ranking), subsequently drawing a Tampa-record crowd of 38,631. Additionally, Palm Harbor, Fla. native and University of South Florida product Ben Sweat earned his first cap as a second-half substitute.