World Cup Qualification: US Men’s National Team Defeats Mexico To Advance
The United States has qualified for the World Cup after defeating Mexico 2-0. The team will now look forward to its draw on December 6 in Brazil. After the match, Tim Howard said of the team’s future:
“I feel good about our chances. We’ll see what the draw looks like.”
The team secured its Brazil-bound World Cup trip after Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan scored second-half goals.
Howard said of the win:
“It’s become its own monster. People want to come to Columbus and see U.S.-Mexico. And so it’s almost like the mecca really for us. You almost feel like it’s our destiny to win here.”
After the final whistle, more than 1,000 Americans remained at Columbus Crew Stadium to celebrate the team’s victory. The US Men’s National Team needed the win or a tie from Honduras against Panama to clinch with two games to spare. American fans stayed behind to watch from a videoboard as the Catrachos held on for a 2-2 draw.
US players crowded around a TV in the locker room to watch the same footage fans were enjoying from the field.
The 2-0 score is becoming a tradition in the US vs. Mexico match. That exact score was witnessed in 2001, 2005, and 2009.
The Mexicans were taunted throughout the game with chants of “You’re not going to Brazil.”
American defender Omar Gonzalez said of fan support at the showdown:
“I think it really got into Mexico’s head, especially when we scored that first goal. You could see it on Mexico’s face. They were really defeated. From that point on we really took control of the game.”
The US is now 24-0-2 in home qualifiers since a 2001 loss to Honduras at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
The U.S. (5-2-1) moved into first place in the North and Central American and Caribbean finals with 16 points. Team USA is now one ahead of Costa Rica (4-1-3), which also clinched after a 1-1 tie against last-place Jamaica.
Speaking for his teams improving skillset, Howard told reporters: “I think we’re young enough at the moment that these next six to eight months we’re going to grow, and I think we’re going to get better. I really like the mix. I like the mix with the Mexican-Americans, the German-Americans, a lot of young guys sprinkled in with some of us old guys. I just think the mix is right, and we just need to mature a little bit more.”
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