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The U.S. and Mexico shared a charter to New York for the Gold Cup final, and Sunday the region’s bitterest rivals will share the Giants Stadium field in a clash for the CONCACAF crown. It’ll also be a look at the future of a feud that’s gotten more intense _ and one-sided _ by the game.
Mexico won its record fourth Gold Cup, but hasn’t won one since. The U.S. has taken the last two, and _ 9-0-2 in their last 11 home games vs. Mexico _ taken the mantle as the region’s top team. The consistency in the U.S. camp has dominated the chaos in Mexico’s, and this young team hopes to keep that going.
“It’s important that our program _ not just the senior national team, but on down to our youth teams _ continues to grow,” said coach Bob Bradley. “We knew from the start of this tournament that it was a great opportunity for a lot of players, but we also made it very clear that we’re defending champs (and we want to win).” Granted, the Gold Cup is no World Cup, and it’s not even as big as the U.S.’ huge Aug. 12 qualifier in Azteca Stadium, the game that really counts. But this “C” team is filled with youngsters like keeper Troy Perkins or midfielders Stuart Holden and Kyle Beckerman, trying to fight their way into Bradley’s team for qualifying. And when one side gets an upper hand in this rivalry, they go for the jugular.
“I think it’s a great opportunity for all of us. We’re all trying to take advantage of that and make the most of our opportunities. We’ve got a lot of good players, so I think (this shows) the depth of the USA,” said defender Clarence Goodson, who scored a header in Thursday’s 2-0 semi win vs. Honduras and relishes the raised bar the Confederations Cup run has set.
“Obviously (it) is a little bit of added pressure. That set the bar high. They did well. Anyone who wants the opportunity to be on the team, you have to keep the standard very high, have to come in and show Bob you can perform at the highest level. Right now, that’s what this is: For us this is the highest level we’ve played at, so hopefully we can take that forward and up.”
The U.S. is headed up, finding a scoring supersub in Dallas’ Kenny Cooper, and even getting back concussed veteran Jimmy Conrad to compete with Goodson. But Mexico? Not so much.
Sure, El Tri will have a more experienced team led by the dynamic Giovani dos Santos and Carlos Vela. They’re more than good enough to drill the U.S. Sunday, and probably should be favored. And their green-clad supporters may well turn the Meadowlands into Mexico City for a day. But the U.S. has made overcoming those advantages commonplace.
Bradley’s first significant game in charge was a 2-0 win over Mexico in 2007, and a young U.S. squad beat an older Mexican side in the Gold Cup final that summer. They’ve proven time and again to have a clear mental edge over El Tri, something that infuriates their southern neighbors.
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre returns Sunday after a three-game suspension for kicking Panama’s Ricardo Phillips, and he’d already been under fire before the Gold Cup. Just hired in April, he’s El Tri’s fourth coach since Bradley took over, 10th since Bradley’s successor Bruce Arena arrived. If the U.S. wins with this “C” team, would anybody be shocked if they switch again?
Dysfunction and drama are what Mexico does best. Ironic isn’t it that those things just add to the U.S.’ domination?
