The U.S. Men's National Team takes on arch-rival Mexico tonight at Estadio Azteca, and the U.S. will be looking to become the first Americans to beat 'El Tri' on Mexican soil when the square off in a rare friendly in Mexico City (8pm, ESPN2).
The Americans will be trying to snap a four-match winless streak against Mexico, a streak that began with a 2-1 loss at Azteca in 2009 during World Cup qualifying. Jurgen Klinsmann will be without several regular starters tonight, but will be counting on veterans Tim Howard and Landon Donovan to lead the charge against a favored Mexican side.
Mexico will be lead by Manchester United striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez as well as a strong defense that will make things difficult for the American attack. Giovani Dos Santos is injured after Olympic duty and won't be around to terrorize the U.S. defense, but Monterrey playmaker Angel Reyna will be one to watch.
SBI will be providing live commentary on tonight's match so please feel free to follow along with the live chat. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions on the match in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):
actually he also had a very impressive 45 in the qualifiers vs. guatemala. how do you think he got tonites gig.
I got you what you meant. And that WILL be said by Mexican fans. But hey, they’re fans….it’s what fans do. (including us).
But yeah, they’re US citizens….so all the Mexican fans just oughta check the scoreboard. 🙂
yeah, what you said.
verdad.
I will admit that in prior games I thought Castillo should have been on the bench, but tonight he was a stud. I believe that he’s earned some time at LB. He didn’toffer much of a threat in attack, but he was solid in defense.
I think winning in Azteca is awesome. however, the fact that it was this game with this low level of energy is like losing your virginity to a passed-out hooker…not all we dreamed it would be.
But that’s just one opinion. Cheers!
Chicharito must be watching all the Spanish League games the way he’s taken to flopping. The best one was in the 2nd half where he ran into Donovan from behind, flopped backwards, and Donovan got whistled for a foul. After a moment of disbelief, Donovan has the coolness to laugh it off and pat #14 on the head as if to say “Good acting job young man”. Chicharito’s too good to resort to those tactics. What a shame.
Can’t be picky bout the type of win when we’ve never won there before. Nothing ugly about that in my eyes. Cheers to all. Helluva job by klins and all the guys.
Brett,…WTF are you talking about? The guys wearing the hoops ARE Americans?
I think the distinction between flat and disinterested is a little thin. I see your point over the flak they will take for the loss though.
again…I’m an American mexican…and i live where the majority of the population is predominately the same and no one is saying that.
USA USA USA!! Never thought tonight would be the night I saw a win in Azteca. Grabbing a win in the lion’s den, as they flaunted their gold medals at half time. PERFECT.
What a year for a US fan – win in Italy and now Azteca. At times, I have been depressed about our progress. But you know what, as I think about the team and the years past, have we ever had the depth that we have today? Have we ever had a top 5 goal scorer in the EPL? Etc. What a year.
Yes, we had the McBride’s,the Reyna’s, etc. But this is the most talented pool of players we have ever had. Maybe it is not much in the eyes of people that compare us to national team programs that have the most athletic youths in their country at their disposal because it is #1 priority. But watching this team since ’94, what a progression in a little less than 20 years. Nights like this really makes me proud to be a fan.
We are not playing pretty soccer (Rome has not been built yet 🙂 ) but I believe the shocking, fluke, once in a few years beating a world power, days are coming to an end.
This win only builds on the confidence of our national team. Yes, it was a friendly and will be buried in the sports headlines tomorrow and forgotten – yes, I am at the extreme side of being excited for the team. But “f” it. USA…USA…USA.
Until Jamaica…..
I’m not hating on them. I’m stoked they decided to play for the USA instead of Mexico. I’m just telling you what Mexicans are saying about the win: that we only won because we used Mexican players.
Conrad,
This is not “typically” and I resent your inference. FYI – An organ grinder monkey is an agile little creature that is a SIDESHOW for the real act. The real act, like the organ grinder, is the Mexican field team. Ochoa and like Campos years ago are SIDESHOWS.
Everyone is talking about gaps,…well there is a Grand Canyon size gap between our GKs and Mexico’s SIDESHOWS.
“One of the best goalies on the continent”. Are you kidding me? Are you serious?
Oh and I forgot:
Calling up Shea over Pontius was unfair and stupid.
Why does it matter what Mexican’s say? They are Mexican-American and you and the haters need to live with it. They’re American and play for the U.S.A! Mexicans don’t consider anyone born outside their country.
They are American whether they like or not, they can claim their league helped develop them, but anything else is just foolish.
It can be looked at as an “ugly” win or the type of victory a quality team gets against it’s biggest rival in their backyard. Azteca is not an easy place to win at. Great job breaking through.
Lets see:
Edu can’t play centerback
Castillo can’t play left back
Orozco Fiscal can’t play soccer
JK looks down on MLS players
Beckerman can’t play at the international level.
JK was looking for an excuse for losing in Mexico
DMB has no business being called up
US fans are such a positive bunch.
Yup
All this complaining and we win. I guess JK can continue to tune out the complaints about his coaching.
Great win, but the inability of the midfielders to pass and control the ball was distressing. It shows how dependent the team is on Bradley. Torres evidently took the heat for the team’s inability to mount any possession, but he was on an island in the first half, useless the same way Juan Mata was against Barcelona at Stamford Bridge.
That said, Cameron was excellent, not only defending but picking nice passes up the field to feet, and Shea and Boyd are both legitimate players.
WTF? mexicans? SIR WE ARE AMERICANS of mexican decent. There is a difference or at least I’d like to think aboiut it that way. They are all born and raised here….so…….?
If anyone would have said, a U.S B-team somewhat goes to Azteca and beats a A-team Mexican team I would have said, you cray boy!.. Especially not a game where the gold medal Mexican winners were giving a tribute.
Everyone was solid. Can all the Edgar Castillo haters please stand up! This kid is solid against Mexico. It seems he PWNDS Barrera both times now, and still the kid gets no respect. Castillo and Orozco got bash consistently on this board, now I’m guessing they are somewhat liked? I’ve said those two guys are decent players, probably not my first choice in the starting lineup, but I would definitely start Edgar against Mexico every meeting between us.
I’m feeling bien Feliz!!
CHUPEN or CHUPA LA!!!!!!!!!!! I’m loving every single moment of it!
We got totally outclassed in the second half. If it weren’t for Howard it could have been 5-1 Mexico. I can’t and never do predict the score. I critique line-ups and I’ve been pretty accurate. I was worried that Beasley for Torres would hurt our possession and our possession went down. Regardless, this was a great win for USA, I’m very proud of them.
Klinsmann’s strategy in Italy and Mexico seemed to be place Williams on the wing to shut down a teams attack from that side and either attack from the middle or substitute a winger in the second half after the other teams outside mids tire. Which has worked both times, I really don’t get all the flack he has received for it.
This is really funny!
Come on, Jozy hasn’t scored once this week.
Then why would he specifically call out the goalkeepers? Give the guy a break.
Conrad, I’m sure you can find a great “controversial thread” to join on Soccernet.
Since the rights belong to the host federations to sell, they often feel as thought they can fleece the U.S. broadcasters and demand exorbitant fees for the rights. Why would ANY business spend far more than something was worth? ESPN is, first and foremost, a business. It doesn’t exist to lose money on a broadcast. Try being at least a tad bit reasonable.
I think you *might* have mistyped from “your … that’s mexico’s ‘game’.” Sorry to be pedantic on grammar and all (especially since I don’t care – we WON!) 😉
Where are all of these guys now that said we were going to get sliced and diced by ridiculous scores. They have disappeared. Where are you? Come out where ever you are? U.S., with their full strength MNT, will give Mexico hell in qualifying. If we play D like we did tonight with our full strength side, we will get a result in Mexico and a win in home soil. our B side beat Mexico’s A side in Azteca? HHHHAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!
Bad game for Jermaine but the guy is in our top 3 in the central mid. It was a tough game to play there though so the performance has to be taken with a grain of salt.
No, Gooch is still in the picture, but Cameron has definitely solidified himself as a starting CB.
Best post of the night! USA! USA!
Congrats to US Men’s National Team for winning 1-0 against Mexico in Mexico. It was about time!
New nickname suggestions for Klinsman?
my entry= Special K
There was no creativity in the scoring third until Brek came on. The makeshift defense played well. At times it wasn’t clear that the US knows how to trap the ball. [takes win and sneaks out the door]
Happy for the win, but disappointed that Mexicans will say that we only won because we had so many Mexicans on the pitch.
Which is a shame because Tim Howard was a beast in this match. Mexico blew a lot of chances, but when they didn’t Timmy was there. I was also pleasantly surprised with Cameron.
There were positives, yes. The contributions of Shea were few but impactful and Boyd looked lively as well. Fabian Johnson once again did all we could ask.
But some players failed to make any impression. Torres was lazy, Donovan seemed to be coasting a little, and Danny Williams is dreadful as a RM or RW. Beckerman broke up plenty of attacks but Edu is still not there for me, but he had a decent shift.
In closing, I am officially tired of Jermaine Jones. Is it just me, or does he seem to be COMPLETELY unfamiliar with the ball when it happens to find his feet? It’s like he gets nervous when he has it for so long and doesn’t lose it.
Como se dice “Suck it Mexico”?
Clearly, we need to continue to stick with Breck Shea and his development. They guy has loads of potential to really be something special. He is in a funk in Dallas, but once he leaves there and gets a change of scenery, he will be fine! Kudos to Klinsmann for continuing to stick with him.
Mexico looked flat, not disinterested.
There’s a difference. With all the falk they will get ovr this loss they can’t afford to be disinterested.
Gentlemen, I don’t believe for a second that the Mexican team did not care about becoming the first team to lose to their biggest rival in the stadium where they never lost to the US. Their coach was on his feet pacing the sidelines nervously for the most of the second half. Azteca has fallen! From now on every US team that comes to Azteca will know that, altitude or not, it is possible to get a win, because it has been done! This is huge for the WC qualifiers!
lol
I know this has been said over and over, but have we finally seen the CB replacement we’ve all been looking for? Cameron KILLED it tonight.
LLORAR Y LLORAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! USA ALL THE WAY! Y si no les gusta a chiflar su…..madre!
Lost in the hysteria is that Geoff Cameron (sp) is amazazazazing!
If you think the USA getting it’s first win ever in Mexico is a snoozefest I have to questions your Nats fandom.
“Winning the gold is just the beginning for Mexico.” – Grant Wahl
The beginning of what?
I always find it easy to spend other people’s money, don’t you?
Well, typically, when people of a darker complexion are referred to as monkeys…. But perhaps you simply were drawing a parallel to the performance of Ochoa, one of the best goalies on the continent, with the well-known simian trait of….
Well, I’m sure you had your reasons.