US Vs Mexico: Biggest Match of the Year for Americans

If you care even a little about soccer in the United States—meaning you manage to ignore the truculent screeching of those primitive sports talk radio hosts who insist that “nobody cares about soccer in the United States”—you know that the men’s national team plays its most important game of the year this Wednesday.

That’s right. The Americans, finalists in two major international tournaments in the past two months, won’t have been tested as severely nor had as much riding on a result as they do in their upcoming match against Mexico.

Not only is it an always-important World Cup Qualifier, but the game is in Mexico City, where the Americans have never won. Adding to the drama is the fact Mexico dismembered the United States’ reserve squad 5-0 in the finals of the CONCACAF Gold Cup last month, and the varsity Americans will surely want payback.

That loss to “El Tricolor” marked the end not only of the Americans’ 9-0-2 unbeaten streak at home against Mexico, but also the end of a recent run of impressive play for the U.S.

In the Confederations Cup, the Yankees awoke from a prolonged international stupor, during which they seemed simply to go through the motions in beating CONCACAF cream puffs, while falling to more formidable opponents.

After being outscored 6-1 through the first two games of the Confederations Cup in South Africa, the U.S. played inspired soccer, beating Egypt 3-0 and advancing out of group play ahead of defending World Cup Champion Italy. They then submitted incontrovertibly the greatest victory in American soccer history when they defeated Spain, the world’s top-ranked team, in the semifinal.

And competing in a FIFA tournament championship for the first time, the States continued to leave the soccer world’s mouth agape as they took a 2-0 lead to halftime against perennial powerhouse Brazil.

Though the Brazilians came back to win 3-2 and thereby yanking the U.S. back down to Earth, the tournament demonstrated the Americans’ grit and talent, and, hopefully, indicated the new direction for this country’s national team.

The following month, the Gold Cup, played in the United States, offered the hosts a second chance at a title. That team, which was composed primarily of young, reserve players coach Bob Bradley wanted to evaluate on the international stage, performed admirably, reaching the finals before suffering the 5-0 drubbing against Mexico.

The U.S. (3-1-1) currently sits second in their qualifying group, trailing Costa Rica (4-1-0), while Mexico (2-3-0) is in fourth. The top three teams (Honduras is in third) will automatically qualify for next summer’s World Cup in South Africa, with the fourth-place team facing the fifth-place finisher in the South American group in a playoff for the final tournament berth.

It’s imperative the U.S. take care of business now and pick up points in their next three matches—against the bottom three teams in the group—before finishing qualifying with difficult games against Honduras and Costa Rica.

But this match is about more than just qualifying. U.S. versus Mexico is the greatest soccer rivalry this country has, and both teams get absolutely stoked to play each other.

The Mexican fans—who will occupy almost every one of the 100,000-plus seats at Mexico City’s smoggy, high-altitude Azteca Stadium—are positively rabid, creating a deafeningly raucous atmosphere that provides a remarkable home field advantage for their beloved team. Pressure from the fans, media and federal soccer officials to win this game only adds to the drama and must-win desperation on the Mexican side.

Mexico is as proud a soccer nation as there is in the world, having missed only three World Cups in the past 40 years. But in fourth place, they are teetering precariously on the precipice of not qualifying for 2010, and a loss on Wednesday could push them over the edge.

Though Mexico long-held the upper hand in the rivalry, the last decade has been a tale of two countries, with the home team holding an overwhelming advantage. The Mexicans are eternally undefeated at home against their northern neighbors, with a record of 22-0-1, owing in no small part to the oxygen-inhibiting atmosphere, and Mexico has lost just one CONCACAF qualifier total in the past four decades.

However, since 2000, El Tricolor had not won in the last 11 matches played in the U.S., before winning the Gold Cup.

Indeed, there is nationalism, cultural pride, and three very valuable points on the line in this game. For the American side, though, there is also team identity. This match could prove to be a watershed moment for American soccer.

Coming off their terrific showing in both the Confederations and Gold Cups, the U.S. has a chance to continue their rise back to international prominence (they were ranked fourth in April of 2006—a ranking that ultimately proved as overrated as its detractors claimed when the team failed to advance out of the first round of that summer’s World Cup).

The Mexico match will help shed some light on whether the United States is becoming a soccer force, or if the Confederation’s Cup was just an anomaly. The Spain game was a seminal victory, but the Yankees must prove it was more than just a flash in the pan.

Additionally, Coach Bob Bradley and his men must figure out what kind of team they are. They have style, tactic, and formation questions that need to be sorted out before the World Cup (assuming they qualify).

From a tactical standpoint, the team must decide whether it is content to be a defensive-minded squad that scores primarily on counter-attacks and set pieces. That is what they have traditionally been, mostly because they lacked the skill and offensive creativity to be anymore more.

Not that a style change is absolutely necessary; Italy has been a defense-first team for years, and they have won several World Cups (needless to say, though, America lacks that level of talent).

The solid defense, anchored by Oguchi Onyewu and Carlos Bocanegra, will remain pivotal to the team’s success, but the ascension of young, imaginative players confident on the attack raises the hope that the U.S. could be on the verge of developing that natural offensive flair that makes soccer the “beautiful game.”

But there are also personnel issues on this team, and Bradley has occasionally seemed a capricious lineup-setter. He has still not found the right place for captain and star Landon Donovan, who has played everywhere in the midfield and forward positions during his extensive national team tenure.

Donovan is a compelling player, a skillful distributor, and scorer with good skills and vision. He is also a tremendous worker, as was evident against Spain and Brazil when he ran ragged all over the field; if he is just now hitting his prime, U.S. soccer should count its blessings.

But Bradley has not discovered the optimal use for Donovan, alternating him between forward, where he is paired with the young, athletic Jozy Altidore, and attacking midfield, where he can run at the defense.

Bradley has also not fully recognized the talents of young midfielder Benny Feilhaber, an offensive dynamo who scored an unbelievable goal in the 2007 Gold Cup Final against Mexico, and hopefully will get a chance to impress again this time.

The head coach’s decision to almost exclusively play young players in the Gold Cup was a good one, and he was wise to reward a few of those players with roster spots for the Mexico game.

Though the roster consists of 17 players from the Confederations squad, Gold Cup stars Chad Marshall and Stuart Holden were promoted to the first team and, along with veteran Brian Ching, will try to prove they belong at the highest level. Robbie Rogers was a curious snub, though, after he dominated the always-important left flank throughout the Cup—but he has shown far too much offensive value to be overlooked for long.

Rogers should get a chance soon to fill the left wing position formerly occupied by the exasperatingly disappointing DaMarcus Beasley, whose long-overdue demotion allowed soccer fans across America to stop tearing their hair out and cursing at their televisions.

It will be interesting to see how the starting lineup comes into focus, especially on the back line, where three of the four spots are in flux (and, at most of the other positions, which also appear unsettled).

U.S. soccer is in a good place right now, comfortable in the standings, confident after their recent play and, despite what you might hear, commanding national media attention at last (ESPN will provide unprecedented studio coverage, highlighted by a 30-minute SportsCenter 2010 FIFA World Cup Qualifying Special from outside Estadio Azteca).

The United States has made enormous strides, beating a top-ranked opponent for the first time ever and getting their first taste of a FIFA Tournament final. Now, with the team rolling and the cameras reeling, it’s time for another first: Beating Mexico at Azteca. ¡Olé!