In Which We Beat Mexico - Again!

Yesterday, the US and Mexico played in the final of the Gold Cup in Chicago in what was, for all the intensity of the rivalry, the first win-it-or-else match between the two since Korea 2002. Mexico withstood various first-half assaults, thanks to some brilliant goalkeeping, then snagged the lead before halftime. The US came back in the second half to snag an equalizer and then a stunning winner from Benny Feilhaber:



I was going to hunt for an English-language clip, but that truly is a golazo and I appreciate the enthusiasm. Mexican coach Hugo Sanchez (he of the dejected look and the pink shirt) still trots out the "sometimes the better team didn't win" meme, but fewer and fewer people are believing. This was a close game, hard fought, and fairly clean. A classic final.

It doesn't get any easier for the US - a very different team heads off for the Copa America (South America's regional championship - the US and Mexico are invited to fill the field), starting with a match against mighty Argentina on Thursday. Meanwhile, the U-20 men start youth World Cup play on Saturday in Canada. Coverage on GolTV and ESPNU for those games - as they say, check your local listings.