USA 0-5 Mexico: Why it Matters
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.
“I believe this is a great win for Mexico because we showed the pride we have in our hearts today,” Giovani Dos Santos said. “This is a huge step for us in the process.”
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.
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Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 43 comments.
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By iloveyoubaby | July 27th, 2009 at 1:14 pm 
i am the happiest person in the world that MEXICO won USA!!!!! it was the best game i have ever seen so stop making lame exuses MEXICO won fair and square
By Mark | July 27th, 2009 at 1:37 pm Nobody ever said it wasn’t Mexico’s B Team, we all know that both team fielded reserves. That’s why the game was pointless.
By morpheus | July 27th, 2009 at 1:47 pm The game wasn’t pointless. There is no such thing as a pointless game. The results might be pointless, but all these players (on both teams) gained international experience that they wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. This is good for the development of the younger players.
I will say that the 2 forwards for Mexico that play in Spain’s 1st division should be regular starters for thier national team. They looked really quick and had great vision.
By Pseudinho | July 27th, 2009 at 3:05 pm It was actually our “C” squad our 3rd string. Of our guys that played only Pearce made the bench for the Confederations Cup and Perkins as our 3rd keeper. Mexico had a mix of it’s first string and second string guys. When two even countries play and one uses 3rd string players and the other uses a mix of first string and second string players it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out who’s gonna win. I think Bradley should have used his provisional roster guys as well as guys who left the team early like Cherundolo and Davies to be with their club. That said I agree that it does mean something and I think Mexico got over a huge mental hurdle that the U.S. had over them for the last decade.
Posted from 
United States
By Pseudinho | July 27th, 2009 at 3:09 pm The two forwards for Mexico where Gio and Sabah. Gio plays for Tottenham and Sabah plays in the Mexican Primera. They brought in Vela who to me changed the game and he plays for Arsenal. They later brought in Franco who played at Villarreal but is now unattached to any club. They also left Bravo on the bench who plays with Andres Guardado on Deportivo la Coruna.
I’m assuming the two guys you were referring to were Vela and Gio because those were the two guys that made everything happen for them. Those two both play in the Premier League not in Spain.
Posted from United States
By Jose | July 27th, 2009 at 4:11 pm Actually, the United States played its G side, while Mexico played its C+ side, as you’ll see if any of you analyzed the rosters based on average roster inclusion in the previous 50 games, accounting for injuries and the weather (we all know Ching only starts when when humidity is > 50%).
The worst part is some of you actually thought I was serious just then.
There were no roster restrictions. It was the final of a regional tournament. Both sides fielded relatively young players. And the United States got mauled 5-0. Please be more gracious in defeat than you usually are in victory.
By SP | July 27th, 2009 at 4:41 pm i don’t care what squads were playing. i’m a USMNT supporter and that match hurt.
Posted from United States
By Byron | July 27th, 2009 at 5:42 pm It’s true both teams had young squads… True both teams had B and C players. But what a 5-0 loss between B and C players means is that all you have is 1 good “A” team. Mexico showed that their young players are way better then those of the US squad. Edu will never play at the level Gio and Vela do. Why? Because the US is a defensive team.
Posted from United States
By Nick | July 27th, 2009 at 6:34 pm It was funny to see Mexico and their fans celebrate a meaningless win like they won the World Cup. Even if the USA had won 5-0 I really wouldn’t have cared…what I care about is August 12. That’s the real challenge.If we can get a miracle win (or even draw) in Mexico City we can really hurt their chances going to WC2010. I would love to see Mexico miss the World Cup!
Tell me Mexico,you beat a bunch of guys who with the exception of Holden will likely never play an important match for the USA again…so..what did you REALLY win? Nothing,that’s what! See you on the 12th!
Posted from United States
By Adriana | July 27th, 2009 at 9:10 pm Nick: It’s funny to read your comment, I’m sure you wouldn’t say the same if US had won. The WIN was not meaningless, a true fan (which I think you are not) takes EVERY game seriously. By the way it was amazing to see 90% of the fans in the Giants Stadium supporting the Mexican team! And they support them wherever they play, either in Mexico or USA. What a shame for the US so called “fans.” Looks like you choose when to support your team…To answer your question at the end, MEXICO WON THE GOLD CUP, that’s what we won, and an immensely joyful humiliation to the US team. No matter what, that team represented the USA, Uncle Sam, 50 states, Star Spangled Banner,etc etc period. Finally, why would you love to see Mexico miss the World Cup? I guess… because this defeat really hurt you, though you don’t want to accept it! ha ha ha LMAO
Posted from United States
By kevin | July 27th, 2009 at 9:13 pm Nick-if usa beated mexico 5-0 I know u would of gone crazy and every usa fan would…usa always has an excuse when they lose but I mean always…this a squad b sqaud is bs…so usa only wins and matters when they have an a squad..in copa america mexico finished in 3 behind brazil and argentina and that mexico squad wasn’t their strongest A squad..with pinto, ochoa, correa,nery and more not having much or at all experience…usa fans are just embarrassed and should be and don’t want to admit they lost fair and square…how can 1 penalty goal end up to being 4 more..that shows you how weak mls is
Posted from United States
By kevin | July 27th, 2009 at 9:19 pm Nick-if usa beated mexico 5-0 I know u would of gone crazy and every usa fan would…usa always has an excuse when they lose but I mean always…this a squad b sqaud is bs…so usa only wins and matters when they have an a squad..in copa america mexico finished in 3 behind brazil and argentina and that mexico squad wasn’t their strongest..with pinto, ochoa, correa,nery and more not having much or at all experience…usa fans are just embarrassed and should be and don’t want to admit they lost fair and square…how can 1 penalty goal end up to being 4 more..that shows you how weak mls is
Posted from United States
By Teak | July 27th, 2009 at 9:34 pm This rivalry is good for futbol. I don’t care that the USA lost so much as I am glad that the “second stringers” got a chance to play some pressure futbol against Mexico’s second stringers. Good for the game. I think that both Stuart Holden and Robbie Rogers have a good chance at making the first team given their outstanding performances, title game excepted.
Posted from 
Malaysia
By Sneakers O'Toole | July 27th, 2009 at 11:19 pm If we take some sort of points from the Azteca, who gives a hoot what happened in the battle of countries that only cared some about the Gold Cup?
It was a win for me seeing Holden step into the limelight and seeing Beckerman pan out rather well during this tourney. Rogers as well.
By dani | July 28th, 2009 at 8:01 am the gold cup was not why the mexican team was celebrating, it was becuase mexico finally beat the USA team in USA, which is a really big boost for the mexican team.
it doesnt matter if it was 5-0 or 1-0 a win is a win.
thats all i got to say
By Nick | July 28th, 2009 at 2:34 pm Look…Mexico deserved this Gold Cup…and they kicked the USA’s ass fair and square…BUT this isn’t some kind of renaissance for El Tri,there wasn’t any curse broken. All they did was beat a really weak squad of ours.It’s not an excuse it’s just reality. In Mexico City things will be different,I expect Mexico to still win but guys like Donovan,Altidore,and Davies won’t give up as easy as our GC team did!
Posted from United States
By alex | July 28th, 2009 at 8:24 pm yea mayb that first goal was given…BUT WHAT ABOUT THE OTHER FOUR????????..cmon…excuses excuses….”this was our B team”…”we didnt have out starters”….”there young”….this was also mexico’s B team…
cant wait for aug 12th….
By dfghsd | July 29th, 2009 at 12:02 pm well we know that wont happen again cause the US continues to progress and NOTHING can stop that. Lets look forward to the Aug 12 march and the coming U-17 and U-20 World cups this year.
And the mexicans are getting a false sense of confidence. They struggled to get past Costa Rica. They tied Panama. The final was a home match for them, just look at the LARGE mexican crowd. And if they say they also fielded their “B” team, have they seen their A squad play any better in qualifying games. HA haha, i NEVER THOUGHT a B squad would play better than the A squad!!!!..Their A squad has struggled not only against the US but also against the likes of Honduras, Jamaica and T&tobago. On the other hand our US A squad is light years ahead of that crappy B-/C+ us team.
Posted from United States
By Edgar | July 30th, 2009 at 1:55 am 2nd string?!? HA! Id like to see England bring their “2nd String” team to compete for the UEFA Cup. I’m I the only one that knows what really happened?!?! Bob Bradley got cocky, brought this team of young uprising players mixed with players he took to Confederations cup and got handled by a better team. THATS IT. Wow guys, open your eyes.
By hedson | July 30th, 2009 at 12:31 pm A team! B team! who cares, mexico won, usa lost, that is a fact no matter what you say to diminish mexican victry. As a country you have a mentality of winning no matter what!, that is why it hurts you. But anyway mexico played better and scored this makes a team to win and not names or history, if you keep claiming it was due to the bcdefg team is your fault, because you regarded litle importance to the contest.
By Rolando | August 4th, 2009 at 2:02 am This comment is to that guy that wishes mexico out of the world cup bruce arena once said that in the aztec stadium one can never play a second half(elevation pollution etc etc)so my point is that usa has its own curse in beating mexico in mexico city …careful what you wish for….oh and remmember what happened to the usa in the last world cup with their A team they got beat by ganna and sent back not even making it to the second phase of the tournament …. Personally be thankful that mexico even exists who would you beat if not?? Haha.. Ps support your team no matter what this is to mexican and american fans….
By Tom | August 8th, 2009 at 10:47 am Edgar, what Gold Cup did you watch? The only player on the USA Confederation Cup roster to play in the Gold Cup was Charlie Davies. And he didn’t play in the game against Mexico. I can’t wait for Wednesday. Derailing El Tri’s 2010 World Cup efforts will be fun to watch.
By saul | August 10th, 2009 at 1:28 pm it would be hard to beat Mexico in the Azteca BUT ITS NOT INPOSSIABLE. but yet usa NEVER beat Mexico in the azteca. and if Mexico loses OR even ties it would be very hard for Mexico to go to the world cup.=) and both usa and Mexico will have their A-team. so on august 12th its gonna be a good game. usa will try to get revenge on Mexico and slim their changes to go to the world cup, and Mexico will try to get another great win over the usa… BUT i think usa is going to win OR tie because thier A-team is much better than mexico’s A-team…
By Joe | August 12th, 2009 at 3:11 pm too bad that mexico kicked the usa as in the world cup and today haha XD
mexico is gonna qualifiy i love mexico.
By saul | August 12th, 2009 at 3:34 pm joe: mexico IS NOT gonna qualify for the world cup!! and mexico and usa only faced each other ONCE in the world cup! and that was in the 2002 world cup and USA WON 2-0 in the quarter finals!!! YOU should really do your research dumbass!!!
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