PAT NEVIN was the last Scot to conquer America.
It has been 20 years since Scotland tasted victory over the United States and it was the former Chelsea and Everton winger who scored.
The goal rather bizarrely went on to feature in the Mike Myers movie So I Married An Axe Murderer but the only thing on Nevin's mind after scoring the winner in Denver in May 1992 was a fear of missing the European Championship finals a few weeks later after he picked up an ankle injury.
Nevin did not tell Andy Roxburgh, the Scotland manager, and played in Sweden but four months later he discovered a kick he had taken in Denver had cracked his ankle bone. The damage was done by a fellow Glaswegian, Dominic Kinnear, who was playing for the US.
Nevin, now 48, said: "Dominic spoke to me before the game and we found out we had a lot of people in common. I went to school with his cousin Maureen and she was a good friend but that didn't stop him breaking my ankle.
"It was a tough game. Dominic was trying to get the ball but I was playing really well, so that drew a few hard tackles from their defenders. I was desperate to play in the European Championship finals. I had missed out on the squads for the World Cup finals in 1986 and 1990, even though I was playing well with Chelsea and Everton at those times. In 1992, I was actually on loan from Everton to Tranmere in the Championship and I didn't want anyone to think I was less of a player for dropping down a league. That goal probably got me to the Euros."
Nevin knows times have changed since he played in Denver two decades ago. Jurgen Klinsmann's US side go into tonight's match in Florida at No.29 in the FIFA rankings, 19 places ahead of Scotland.
"Everything has turned full circle," he said. "The US have been at the last five World Cup finals and we have not been there since 1998. Sure, you could argue that their qualifying group is not as difficult as the European ones Scotland take part in, and they hosted the 1994 tournament which kickstarted everything for them.
"But the advent of the MLS has helped a lot, and produced guys like Clint Dempsey and Landon Donovan. The US do not really have any superstars but have six or seven top-quality international players, like Dempsey, Mo Edu and Carlos Bocanegra.
"They have a fantastic team spirit, which carries them through. It's typical of all Americans, who just love playing for their country, no matter what sport."
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