Oral history: The USMNT's near 'miracle on grass' against Brazil in the 1994 World Cup

The USMNT’s long-awaited return to the California Bay Area for a World Cup match came 32 years after it played Brazil at Stanford Stadium on July 4, 1994. The United States reached the tournament’s Round of 16 by finishing third in its group with four points from a 1-1 draw with Switzerland, a 2-1 win over Colombia, and a 1-0 loss to Romania. Against a Brazil side headlined by Bebeto and Romario, the USMNT suffered a 1-0 defeat, but not before Brazil received a red card just before halftime. Still, the article recalls how the Americans were within “16 minutes” of what could have been a historic upset. The piece compiles accounts from local eyewitnesses, including USMNT player Cobi Jones, who made his first and only World Cup start in that match and later totaled 164 caps.