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| USA 0-5 Mexico: Why it Matters Posted: 27 Jul 2009 05:40 AM PDT USA fans will claim that this was only their B team/second string and it was only the Gold Cup anyway. They can even claim that Mexico were lucky to win that penalty kick for the first goal. And they’ll definitely have a point. But Mexico fans will still celebrate lifting the Gold Cup with a convincing 5-0 win, and not just because the trophy is so big. Here’s why: First of all, it was 5-0. Beating your bitter rival 5-0 has got to feel good, no matter which string team it is. And vice versa for losing 5-0. Secondly - and more importantly - this win removes a huge psychological barrier for Mexico, as it’s El Tri’s first away win over the USA in a over a decade (since March ‘99, in case your were wondering). Doesn’t matter that this was a US reserve team. The record now shows that on July 26th, 2009, Mexico beat the USA 5-0 in New York (or, technically, New Jersey). Talk of Mexico’s decade long drought has to end now.
So Mexican confidence gets a boost and the balance of the US vs Mexico rivalry (which has been tipping towards the US in recent years) just received a small course correction. And though it wasn’t the USA’s first XI that took a beating, it did feature players one day hope to make the proper starting XI (Stuart Holden perhaps?). Guys of the Landon Donovan generation are used to beating Mexico regularly, and could go into matches vs El Tri with a certain swagger. But guys like Stuart Holden will now carry the memory of this beating with them into future encounters. Am I reading too much into this result? Maybe I am. But anyone who dismisses it as meaningless is reading too little. Of course, the US has a chance to regain a convincing advantage on August 12th, when the travel to the Azteca for a World Cup 2010 qualifier. The flipside of Mexico’s ten year drought was that the US national team has never beaten Mexico at the Azteca. Ever. So if they can pull that off next month, then the time Mexico won a Gold Cup final in New Jersey will be forgotten. |
| Totally Partisan Liveblog: USA vs. Mexico Gold Cup Final Posted: 26 Jul 2009 10:36 AM PDT Welcome to our totally partisan liveblog for the USA-Mexico Gold Cup final. Our Mexico blogger Andrea will be here rooting for Mexico, and with our USA bloggers otherwise occupied today, I’ll be trying to hold up the US end of thing. As we’ve mentioned before, with nothing really at stake in this tournament both USA and Mexico are using Gold Cup as a way to get a look at some players who don’t normally get a chance with the national teams, with an eye toward the World Cup squads next summer. (Assuming both teams qualify.) Look for a very high-energy, hard-fought match, and may the best team win!
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