when 2 sth american soccer teams both tried to lose

It sounds like you’re referring to the famous 1982 FIFA World Cup match where two teams appeared to play for a result that would suit both of them, rather than trying to win outright. That game is usually remembered as the “Disgrace of Gijón” , when West Germany beat Austria 1-0 after both sides were accused of effectively colluding to eliminate Algeria.

What happened

• Algeria had already played its last group match and needed a particular outcome to advance.
• West Germany scored early against Austria.
• After that goal, the match became unusually passive, with both teams moving the ball without much urgency.

Why people remember it

• Fans and journalists saw it as an example of teams optimizing for qualification rules instead of competitive play.
• The backlash was so strong that FIFA changed later tournament formats so final group matches would be played at the same time.

If you meant a different match

There have been other notorious “try to lose” games in football history, including the 4-2 Barbados-Grenada oddity, where the rules created a bizarre incentive structure.

TL;DR: The best-known “two teams tried to lose” story in soccer is the 1982 West Germany vs Austria match, the Disgrace of Gijón.