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Year in Review U.S. ruled Mexico rivalry in 2000
By Mike Woitalla, Soccer America The United States has played Mexico more than any other foe and, in 43 encounters, has beaten its neighbor only seven times. Two of those wins came in 2000, including a 3-0 victory in June that broke a five-year winless streak and gave Bruce Arena's team the U.S. Cup. Getting his team into the final round of World Cup qualifying was Bruce Arena's most critical accomplishment of 2000. But Arena points to another significant achievement: He beat Mexico twice. The rivalry between the giant neighbors has become one of the world's most intriguing during the last decade and it has helped shape the national team programs of both countries. Poor performances against the United States have, in various degrees, led to the firing of three Mexico coaches -- Manuel Lapuente (1991), Miguel Mejia Baron (1995) and Bora Milutinovic (1997). On the U.S. side, victories over Mexico represent turning points in the program's history. Two months into Milutinovic's tenure as U.S. coach in 1991, he guided a team still shell-shocked from its dismal Italia '90 performance to a 2-0 win over Mexico in the Gold Cup semifinal. It marked the first U.S. win over Mexico since 1980 and led to its Gold Cup title -- the national team's first official championship.
Three years later, the Yanks' 1-0 victory over Mexico before 91,123 fans in Pasadena proved a major confidence-booster on the eve of the 1994 World Cup. In their 17 games earlier that year, the Americans managed only three wins, over Norway, Moldova and Armenia. MEXICO'S RISE. In the early 1990s, Mexico was playing the best soccer in its history. That energized a rivalry that from 1937 to 1980 did not include a single U.S. victory, even though Mexico was a weakling in world soccer. But after missing the 1990 World Cup -- banned for age violations at a youth tournament -- Mexico won the 1993 Gold Cup, finished runner-up at the 1993 Copa America and pulled off, at the 1994 World Cup, a win over Ireland and a tie with Italy before losing to Bulgaria on penalty kicks in the second round. That marked its first second-round appearance, after seven tries, at a World Cup it did not host. SAMPSON'S SUCCESS. Just as Mexico was shedding its reputation as a team capable only of victories within its weak region, the United States pulled off two stunning wins. Both came in the summer of 1995, with interim coach Steve Sampson trying to prove himself worthy of the job. Mexico, lining up the core of players who created its resurgence, fell 4-0 in a U.S. Cup game in Washington, D.C. One month later, the teams met in Uruguay in the Copa America quarterfinals. A win on penalty kicks, after a scoreless tie, saw Sampson's men through and guaranteed their fourth-place finish. The penalty-kick win goes down as a tie, which made the 1995 U.S. Cup victory the last U.S. win for five years, until the teams met in the 2000 U.S. Cup clash, at Giants Stadium. UNBEATEN STREAK. Mexico went into last June's match with an eight-game unbeaten streak against the Americans that included two ties in France '98 qualifying, a win in the 1998 Gold Cup final and two victories early in the Arena era. The Mexicans had beaten Arena's team in the 1999 U.S. Cup, in San Diego, and in the Confederations Cup semifinal, in Mexico City. FIFA ranked Mexico, which beat Brazil in the Confederations Cup final and finished third in the '99 Copa America, among the world's top 10. But Mexico, citing a crowded club calendar and the early start to World Cup qualifying, failed to send a genuine national team to the 2000 U.S. Cup. In its stead came UNAM Pumas with a few guest players. Officially, they were Mexico, even though Hugo Sanchez subbed for Coach Lapuente, now well into his second run as Tricolor coach. Still, Mexico tied Ireland and beat South Africa to set up the U.S. clash as a chance to claim its fourth straight U.S. Cup. "Because of the situation we were put in ... with the Mexican team," Arena said, "we had everything to lose and in some ways nothing to gain." A MUST-WIN. Indeed, failure against a Mexico team with an average age of 23 one month before the start of World Cup qualifying would have landed a serious blow to the Arena squad. In terms of the rivalry, the Mexicans could have gloated. Not to worry. Brian McBride gave the United States a 1-0 lead in the 33rd minute, and late goals by Frankie Hejduk and Ante Razov wrapped up a 3-0 victory in front of 45,008 fans. The Yanks would meet Mexico a second time in 2000. The game, on Oct. 25, fell three weeks before the must-win qualifier against Barbados. In five previous qualifiers, Arena's men scored 10 goals, but seven had come in the first encounter with Barbados. Suspensions, injuries and poor form had made the qualifying process difficult for the Americans, and the Mexico clash offered Arena a chance to test young players and veterans, like Carlos Llamosa and Jeff Agoos, who had been out of action. Mexico, though missing a few stars, had more regulars in their squad than the Yanks did. It also had a Los Angeles crowd of 61,072 supporting it fervidly. With goals by 18-year-old Landon Donovan, in his debut, and Josh Wolff, the United States won 2-0. From that match, Chris Klein and Clint Mathis impressed Arena enough to earn starting spots against Barbados. Both would figure heavily in the 4-0 win. A U.S. victory against Mexico Feb. 28, in World Cup qualifying, would make it a record three straight for the Yanks. Mike Woitalla is executive editor at Soccer America magazine.
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