The CONCACAF Cup is this Saturday and things are tense with both teams. This is a game in which the winner will go on to the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia. And if you don’t think this game is huge among both teams, grab a look at this TV Azteca ad in Mexico using footage from a Donald Trump speech to describe the USMNT.
Even more importantly than going to the Confederations Cup, a win on Saturday night means a win against a respected, but hated rival. This rivalry runs deep and both sides have scored some huge wins over the other in some huge moments. These are the top ten moments in the USMNT/Mexico rivalry.
10) The first game/1934 World Cup Qualifier – 5/24/1934 – USMNT 4-2 Mexico
This is where it all began, during World Cup Qualifying for the 1934 FIFA World Cup in Italy. While it may have been the belief that the United States didn’t become any good until just the past few decades, the United States was considered the more established team of the two and was the favorite to advance. Details about this game are scarce but Aldo Donelli scored all four goals en route to beating Mexico in Rome and the United States officially qualified for the World Cup, set to start just three days later. After that, Mexico got better, really better and the United States wouldn’t beat Mexico again until 1980.
9) 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final – 6/24/2007 – USMNT 2-1 Mexico
This game is most remembered for Benny Feilhaber’s game winning goal late in the game. To this day, it remains one of the greatest goals to win a trophy. Gee, I wonder what he’s doing this weekend?
Anyway, I digress, the USMNT had to come back from behind in this game. Andres Guardado opened the scoring for Mexico right before halftime. Then Brian Ching won himself a penalty kick after a masterful turn in the box. Landon Donovan converted and equalized. Then Feilhaber, who really made the goal look effortless, volleyed a corner kick like an old straight on 1950’s NFL kicker to win the Gold Cup for the United States. That was the goal that sent the United States to the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup where they defeated the #1 team in the world and future World Cup champion at the time Spain and lost to Brazil in the Final.
8) 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final – 7/26/2009 – USMNT 0-5 Mexico
The 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final was simply a good old fashioned beatdown by Mexico.
While this was a beatdown, there was a pretty good reason for this. The United States played in the Confederations Cup Final against Brazil just five days before the start of this Gold Cup. So essentially, the United States had to send a secondary squad for this Gold Cup as the main squad was in South Africa. Mexico took full advantage of this by waltzing through and scoring five goals. This could be a cautionary tale to either team that wins Saturday. They are going to have to sacrifice either the Gold Cup or Confederations Cup.
7) Surviving the Azteca in a WCQ – 3/26/2013 – Mexico 0-0 USMNT
For many, many years, nobody beat Mexico at the Azteca. Moreover, there weren’t many teams who could go to the Azteca and draw, much less win. This game was about survival.
Just seven months ago, the USMNT beat Mexico at the Azteca, or in Mexico really, for the first time (more on that later). But that was just a friendly. That wasn’t a competitive match. The USMNT needed to make a statement by getting a result in a World Cup Qualifier at the Azteca. While it wasn’t the prettiest effort and Mexico had the ball for most of the game but the USMNT did their job and got a point for the first time ever in Mexico.
6) 1999 FIFA Confederations Cup Semifinal – 8/1/1999 – Mexico 1-0 USMNT (AET)
So…remember when I mentioned how the United States made it to a Confederations Cup Final? Yeah, Mexico actually won the Confederations Cup in 1999 and they beat the United States to do it.
This was also the first time the USMNT held Mexico scoreless and in a tie after 90 minutes at the Azteca. Kasey Keller was standing on his head and kept things scoreless. Then since this was the time of the “golden goal,” the game ended in the 97th minute as Cuauhtemoc Blanco put away the game winner. The result allowed Mexico to advance to the Final and defeat Brazil 4-3 while the United States beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 for third place.
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