Red Letter Day for the USA
Posted on August 16, 2012 11:43
The only good thing about last night for Mexico, was as Javier Hernandez said, “thank God it was just a friendly and no points were on the line, but losing hurts.”
You have to hand it to Jurgen. He asked for and got a friendly in THE stadium that had been a major thorn in his team’s side for decades. He said they were there to win and they did just that. A big, big win for the US.
It was bound to happen. Despite what many Mexican fans think, there was no way Mexico was going to maintain this hegemony over the US forever, just like there was no way that the US was going to do the same to Mexico in the US. Both teams are too evenly matched to think otherwise.
The breakthrough at the club level had happened last year, and it was only a matter of time before it would happen with the National Team. And it is going to make next year’s Hex match ups a hell of a lot more interesting.
In addition to the obviously historical win for the US, this was only the third loss at the Azteca for Mexico since 2001 – Costa Rica’s famous Aztecazo and a Paraguay win in a friendly. The victories were great for both, but the cost was high, especially for the Ticos. They have not beaten Mexico at home, away, on neutral ground, friendly, qualifer, or Gold Cup since. Paraguay got clobbered 6-0 in the Copa America a few months later and also has yet to defeat Mexico since.
Where does the loss leave Mexico? Aside from the massive cold-cock to their collective egos for losing “a clásico,” they can draw some very valuable conclusions from the match. Above all, patience. Mexico was pressing in the attacking third far too much, due much to the US’ defensive posture. Despite Mexico’s frustration offensively, they made sure to put the clamps on the US counter. The US goal was borne of an unforced error by Gerardo Lugo, who gave the ball away in his own half with an awful pass attempt to Jorge Torres Nilo. And as we have seen countless times, give the US 18 inches of daylight, and they will make you pay. The goal itself came from Brek Shea play, whose center was followed by a series of very fortuitous rebounds that ended on the foot of Michael Orozco, who punched it in. After the goal, the ball continued to bounce the US’ way at the other end as Tim Howard reminded everyone of his status as one of the premier netminders on the planet. Game over. Goals aren’t deserved, they are scored.
Next for Mexico, a good chance to all but wrap up qualifying for the hex with a Tico double feature. 4 points from the home and home with Costa Rica would go a long way to assuring a ticket for the Hex. Mexico will have to play a lot better than they have in their last two outings at the Azteca in order to do so, though. Chepo de la Torre will also have his entire complement of players at his disposal, including several Gold Medalists. Gio Dos Santos, Marco Fabian, Hiram Mier, Jesus Corona, and Oribe Peralta should expect their phone to ring with some good news.
So should Carlos Vela. For as much progress as Mexico has made over the past few years, they are still not good enough to shut out players from the national side, especially ones that play and star for their clubs in Europe. Whatever has come between Vela and Chepo needs to be worked out.
But let’s not forget that this was just a friendly – and the August friendly, at that. Thank goodness it is going away. And to think that CONCACAF scheduled qualifiers on this date in 2008 and 2009. I think we have all been guilty before of putting way too much value in friendly results, yours truly included. Historic win for the US? Yes. Huge psychological boost? Without question. Will they be able to do it again when the stadium has 220,000 screaming lungs, waving flags, sun and the smog at full throttle, intensity is ratcheted up about 1000%, and something on the line?
Their chances just went up considerably.
Well 120,000 screaming lungs at least. 220,000 would be quite a feat!
Ummmm, everybody has TWO lungs, mcontento.;)
Fortuitous rebounds? There was a ton of luck in the goal, but you’ve got to give Boyd credit for a clever back heel pass.
The conditions will be more difficult in the Hex (if we advance to the Hex, we gotta get past Jamaica 1st). But, that applies to the Mexican players, too. Chicharito looked gassed at 60 min. I understand he’s not in mid season shape, but he’s going to be flying in from sea level for that match. And, fighting RvP, Rooney, and Welbeck for PT. And, to me, he looked a little pudgy. Dude needs to get in shape. I still think Mex is the better team, but w/ guys like Jozy, Dempsey, and (hopefully) Bradley playing well in Europe, it’s close.
LMAO at the “back-heel” pass, this is ridiculous.
Not really. it was a backheel. The US was lucky in that Boyd mishit it (weakly instead of more solid contact). He wanted to keep the ball in play and fortunately for him Orozco was nearby. There was luck on the goal but some pretty good play for the US as well.
Did you guys watch how Lugo just gave away the ball to the US in the play they scored? Did you guys saw how Meza just gave up when Shea made that play? Did you guys saw how Moreno and Maza were just walking trying to “stop” the dudes from US, did you guys saw how Torres Nilo just stood in the line allowing Orozco to be on side? Well folks, I would like for you to take a good watch of all of those things, because you will never see them in an official game from Mexico. Sit tight.
come se dice “denial” en espanol?
Hmmmm…where is the “luck” exactly in this goal? When is it considered “lucky” that a guy gets nut-megged versus the skill of the guy doing the nut-megging? Using the logic the goal was “lucky”, one could say just about every goal is lucky given that they usually follow head-up-your-butt plays or failure to mark someone.
Yes the US played bad. Yes Mexico looks crappy too. Yes, Chicarito missed way too many sitters. Yes the post was hit a few times. But this goal was well played…despite 82+ other minutes of severely stinky footy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OoFSyqTjkc
Breck took a bad touch, got himself in too deep. Best I can tell, his slotted ball bounced off the feet of two Mexican defenders to arrive softly at the feet of a U.S. striker 2 yards from the Mexican goal. Ya gotta admit, there’s an element of luck to that. If we’d been camped out in their box, I’d say slop happens. But, we only got into their box (that doesn’t sound right) a couple of times.
But, the nutmeg was awesome & the backheel sublime. And full credit to the rightback for being in the opposing team’s goal mouth. Speaking of which, we were kind of lucky that a Mexican defender was literally in the goal mouth, keeping O-F onside.
There’s an element of luck to almost ALL goals. Very, very few are the result of shear brilliance.
some more than others.
I double, triple, and quadruple checked the replays. Shea’s pass was never touched by a single Mexican defender. It arrived softly at Boyd’s feet because it was prefectly weighted, and Boyd’s first touch was perfect.
I think the goal chance developed fortuitously but all credit to Shea for running at Meza, nutmegging him and then putting the ball where it needed to be, in the six yard box.
Orozco, of course, was at the right place at the right time and poked it home.
I can’t really find a way to call it a lucky win since Mexico didn’t really do much to earn a win either. Despite all the meaningless possession, the US defended well and more importantly, found a stout centerback in Cameron.
Congrats.
Everybody knows that both teams didn’t have their full complement of players. We know this wasn’t Mexico’s “best team” by a long shot.(just like the 2009 Gold Cup final Mexico won to end a winless streak in the US)
However, the Azteca had a mythical position in the minds of US fans. Knowing that we’re capable of winning in the Azteca (and Mexico in general) is a big boost. The players aren’t afraid.
Am I the only one who thinks this loss for Mexico isn’t nessecarily a bad thing? Losing an ultimately meaningless game in August can provide lessons that can be carried forward for when the games truly matter. The US was eventually going to win on Mexican soil………..we all knew it. Just a matter of time.
It isn’t, we are yet to lose an official game with Chepo de la Torre, and trust me, that will be hard for any CONCACAF team.
“THE stadium that had been a major thorn in his team’s side for decades.”
One of the two, anyway. We still need to work on Saprissa.
Not anymore, since Estadio Nacional opened last year.
John, I disagree that there chances went up. This game alone proves that previous results have no material impact on future games. btw…, nice article.
I also believe that our chances did not go up much, if any. We may have gained some confidence, but that may be offset by a reduction of the element of surprise. I think it’s probably a wash.
good point, do you think mexico will be ready next time? i think so!!!
I think that psychologically it was a big boost for the US. I think right now Mexico is the better team but the US isn’t too far behind. I am excited to this match played with all the best players in a qualifier. That will be an epic battle.
Like Roger Allaway said, the psychologic boost works both ways. Mexico got a psychologic wake up call and will be ready next time they face. Best of all the wake up call was free be!
LMAO! the Nads just won the World Cup
They did? Damn. I missed it.
My nads are world champs.
I think the win was good for the US and a confidence booster, BUT…if you look at the demeanor of the crowd (the lack thereof) and the players (out of sync) in El Azteca, and the fact that it was a friendly — this will be the first and last time México loses there in a very long, a very long time. México will win in Columbus or whatever backwater soccer freezer they choose. I’ve got hunches…good ones. Called the last three victories for Mexico in the Olympics, and other important ones too. I had hunch about this one — I knew México would still be drunk on gold and unprepared for that game…I knew they would lose and and they did. Not a surprise. It won’t happen again for years, much to Klinsmann’s, and his successor’s agony. I mean they couldn’t be Guatemala, so take this with a grain of salt. Gio, I believe has only lost once to the U.S. He won’t let it happen again, not soon.
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