13 January 1988 - Statistically, It Proved To Be A Little Misleading

On 13 January 1988, the United States beat Guatemala with a goal from left back Jeff Agoos, making only his second national team appearance.

The teams met in Guatemala City, where the United States had lost all four of their previous matches. The most recent loss had come just three days earlier when the hosts won 1-0. That match marked the international debut for Agoos (pictured), a star in the making at the University of Virginia. His performance on that day was unremarkable, however, and he was substituted for fellow dubutant John Diffley.

US manager Lothar Osiander included both Agoos and Diffley in the starting line-up for the rematch on 13 January, with Agoos providing the day's only goal to give the US a narrow victory in the friendly. And it turned out to be a very rare occurrence. Agoos went on to earn a total of 134 caps for the US--enough to place him third on their all-time appearances list--but he scored only three more times for them.

1 January 1923 - Mexico Makes Its Move

On 1 January 1923, Mexico played their first game, beating Guatemala away 2-3.

The match was the first of a six-game series between the two countries, organized by Mexico's ambassador to Guatemala, Juan de Dios Bojórquez. Because Mexico did not have an official team at the time (the Mexican Football Federation would not be founded for another four years), Club América, whose roster consisted exlcusively of Mexican nationals, filled the role. Unlike the visitors, the home team, established two years earlier, was a collection of players from different clubs, putting its roster together from the best available footballers in Guatemala City.

When they met at the Estadio Marte, the Mexican players' chemistry won out. They took a 2-0 lead into the break with goals from Jose Diaz Izquierdo (25') and Horacio Ortiz (40') before Fernando Minondo (65') pulled one back for the hosts. But that was a close as Guatemala would get, as the teams exchanged late goals from Adeodato Lopez (70') and Constantin Kinhie (72') to set the final margin at 2-3 for the visitors.

The teams split the next two matches in Guatemala, then met again in Mexico City in December 1923 for the other three, with Mexico winning two and drawing the final one.

16 October 1996 - Tragedy In Guatemala

On 16 October 1996, eighty-four people died and another 147 were injured in a stampede at the Estadio Mateo Flores in Guatemala City.

They were there for a World Cup qualifier between Guatemala and Costa Rica. An hour before kick-off, the stadium was already filled past its 45,000 capacity, with supporters sitting on walls and on top of the press box, when the stampede began, sending a cascade of people down the stands toward the pitch. Most of the injuries and fatalities were due to asphyxiation, with others suffering broken bones.

Accounts differed as to the cause of the stampede. According to FIFA, forged tickets created an oversupply of people trying to force their way into the stadium, while a spokesperson for the Guatemalan government claimed that fans inside the stadium were trying to escape a brawl that had broken out in one of the general seating areas.

Guatemalan officials immediately canceled the game. FIFA banned the use of the stadium pending a  safety inspection, so when the game was eventually played in late November, it was held at the Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles.

The stadium ban lasted approximately two years. When it reopened, it did so with a reduced capacity of 30,000.

13 January 1988 - Statistically, It Proved To Be A Little Misleading

On 13 January 1988, the United States beat Guatemala with a goal from left back Jeff Agoos, making only his second national team appearance.

The teams met in Guatemala City, where the United States had lost all four of their previous matches. The most recent loss had come just three days earlier when the hosts won 1-0. That match marked the international debut for Agoos (pictured), a star in the making at the University of Virginia. His performance on that day was unremarkable, however, and he was substituted for fellow dubutant John Diffley.

US manager Lothar Osiander included both Agoos and Diffley in the starting line-up for the rematch on 13 January, with Agoos providing the day's only goal to give the US a narrow victory in the friendly. And it turned out to be a very rare occurrence. Agoos went on to earn a total of 134 caps for the US--enough to place him third on their all-time appearances list--but he scored only three more times for them.