A Hugo Sanchez-inspired Mexican side was defeated as the US National Team, thanks to the help of Carlos Batres, continued its regional dominance over Mexico.

Carlos who? Surely not Carlos Bocanegra as he showed once again his lack of refinement with elbows and hackings a plenty. I am talking about the notorious middle-man, who seemed to show to obviously the winner he had picked in his mind before the occasion.

One should never complain against the referees some would say, but one really can’t be too surprised, by the same token, as the Americans rode the advantage of the favors of the referees all the way to the finals.

Luckily, we get to see the see the real deal in a few days in the Copa America, and when US face off against Argentina in Venezuela, I don’t think that the US will enjoy such targeted prejudice.

Mexico, notorious for its snail-pace possession football, came immediately off the blocks on Sunday perhaps emulating the desire of their manager, ex-great Sanchez, to finally claim prizes.

Mexico dominated proceedings in the 1st half, creating through the dribbling runs of Castillo, the availability and crossing of Atlas’ Guardado, as well as the wing play of both defenders Salcido and Osorio. Confining the US to just a number of chances, keeper Oswaldo Sanchez still had to be available to keep both Beasley and Dempsey off the score sheet in the 1st half.

Mexico was rewarded for its enterprise in the 44th min. when the winger Guardado slide home an upper ninety after Castillo turned and dribbled on Onyewu in the box to slot home a pass at the back post. However, in the end the Mexicans were defeated by a 2nd set of rules that exist around the US National Team in Regional tournaments as well as a blistering volley by youngster Benny Feilhaber.

The Guatemalan referee totally turned the game around when he called upon the phantom penalty in the 2nd half when Brian Ching miraculously went down in the penalty area under honest defensive pressure.

But the Americans have been around long enough to know to not look a gift horse in the mouth, and Donovan coolly slotted past the wiggly, frozen Sanchez.

Speared on by Ching’s theatrics and the referee’s whistle, Feilhaber killed off the game in the 73rd min., with a superb 1st time volley just outside the edge of the 18 after Mexico tried to clear a US corner, helping America go on to claim its 4th Gold Cup title.

 

This entry was posted on Monday, June 25th, 2007 at 11:45 am and is filed under Soccer World, Gold Cup. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.