Mexico Defeats USA, Wins 10th CONCACAF Gold Cup
Image courtesy of LA Times
By Griffin Cappiello
This past Sunday, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) and the Mexican Men’s National Team (El Tri) met for the eighth time in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Final, the biennial tournament to crown the champion of North, Central American, and Caribbean soccer.
Both teams had strong performances throughout the tournament, each topping their group in the first stage of the competition. El Tri had wins over the Dominican Republic and Suriname and a draw with Costa Rica, taking Group A on a goal differential tie breaker. The USMNT had wins against Trinidad and Tobago, Saudi Arabia, and Haiti, only conceding one goal in the group stage.
In the quarterfinals, Mexico had a comfortable 2-0 win over Saudi Arabia, while the US drew 2-2 against Costa Rica, before emerging victorious 4-3 in the penalty shootout after an impressive performance by goalkeeper Matt Freese, who saved 3 penalties!
Both sides were heavy favorites to win in the semifinals as underdogs Guatemala and Honduras knocked out tournament favorites Canada and Panama, respectively. The USMNT defeated Guatemala 2-1 with two early goals by winger Diego Luna, while Mexico beat Honduras 1-0 with a goal by forward Raúl Jiménez.
In the final, held at NRG Stadium in Houston, TX, the USMNT was off to a flying start. Four minutes into the match, centerback Chris Richards got on the end of a free kick by midfielder Sebastian Berhalter, barely heading the ball over the goal line.
Unfortunately for US Soccer fans, El Tri quickly took control of the game, dictating play for a majority of the match. Raúl Jiménez levelled the match in the twenty-seventh minute, and the score remained level at halftime.
The second half brought more Mexican domination and controversy for American fans. In the sixty-sixth minute, wingback Max Arfsten carried the ball into the Mexican penalty area. Defender Jorge Sánchez won the ball, but stumbled, reached his hand out, and placed his palm squarely on the face of the ball.
Image courtesy of ESPN
Referee Mario Escobar of Guatemala and Video Assistant Referee (VAR) Benjamin Pineda of Costa Rica agreed that no penalty would be given for a handball offense due to considerations in the Laws of the Game that allow for the ball to hit a falling player’s supporting arm.
In an interview with Fox Sports, USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino complained about the no-call in his post-match press conference. “I want to tell the truth, and the truth is if that happened in the other box, for sure it’s a penalty,” Pochettino said. “For me, it was embarrassing to see that situation.”
Unfortunately for Pochettino and the USMNT, even if a penalty had been awarded, Mexican captain Edson Álvarez found the back of the net in the seventy-seventh minute which, after a brief VAR review for potential offside, sealed the victory for Mexico.
While Mexico dominated the match en route to the nation’s record-extending tenth Gold Cup, it must be noted that the USMNT did not call up a full-strength roster; several star players did not play at this summer’s CONCACAF Championship.
Midfielder Weston McKennie and winger Tim Weah, as well as midfielder Gio Reyna had obligations for their clubs at the FIFA Club World Cup, while fullbacks Sergiño Dest and Antonee “Jedi” Robinson were left off the roster due to injuries.
Perhaps most notably, Christian Pulisic, nicknamed “Captain America” and “The Lebron James of Soccer,” elected to sit out of the Gold Cup after an extensive season at AC Milan.
“I had to make the best decision for myself,” Pulisic said in an interview with CBS Sports Golazo, “Even if clearly some people haven’t seen it that way.”
The “some people” to whom Pulisic refers? USMNT Legends Landon Donovan and Tim Howard, who publicly criticized Pulisic’s decision not to play in the Gold Cup.
Pulisic (and his dad) would respond to Donovan’s criticism. In an interview with CBS Sports Golazo, Pulisic comments, “You can talk about my performances, whatever you want, but to question my commitment, especially towards the national team? In my opinion, that’s way out of line.”
While all this USMNT infighting is beginning to look like an episode of Real Housewives, Mexico fielded nearly a full-strength squad, which clearly paid off. Now both teams turn their attention to the 2026 FIFA World Cup, which is only eleven months away.
With no competitive matches remaining before the tournament, El Tri surely has more momentum, but will the USMNT sort out their on- and off-field issues in time to capitalize on the first World Cup on home soil in over thirty years? Only time will tell.
