Mexico vs USA Top 5 Matches Since 2000
Mexico and USA face each other this Thursday, March 24th in the Estadio Azteca for what will be their last World Cup Qualifier match up against each other until the 2030 world cup qualifiers.
These two great rivals have had some amazing qualifier matches and today we bring you our Top 5 Mexico vs USA World Cup Qualifiers Matches.
2015 Concacaf Cup
In 2015, the Mexico vs USA rivalry played in a single match tournament that would determine the Concacaf participant for the 2017 Confederations Cup in Russia.
This extremely entertaining match took place in the rose bowl in Pasadena, ca. Both countries tried to secure their ticket to Russia and gave us a 1-1 tie at the end of regulation. In overtime, Oribe Peralta gave Mexico a 2-1 lead, but later Bobby Wood equalized and has us 2-2 in what looked like we were about to head into penalties.
Unfortunately for the Americans Paul Aguilar had other plans as he scored an amazing goal just inside the box to give Mexico the 3-2 win and the Concacaf Cup, which put them in Russia for the Confederations Cup.
2011 Gold Cup Final
In one of the most entertaining matches by both teams, the 2011 Gold Cup Final was something that continues to be talked about mostly by El Tri fans.
The United States took an early 2-0 lead that took many by surprise. The Mexican squad though did not fold their arms as they came back blazing and turned the game around.
The most memorable part of the comeback was an amazing goal by Giovanni Dos Santos who had the United States goalkeeper Tim Howard scrambling on the ground.
Mexico would go on to complete their comeback with a 4-2 scoreline defeating the US in another Gold Cup final.
2002 Japan/Korea World Cup Round of 16
In 2002, The United States shocked the world in the Korea & Japan World Cup.
Mexico came out of the group stage as top of their group and they had the surprising task of facing their Concacaf rival.
It seemed like it was set up for Mexico to play in their first-ever ”Quinto Partido”, but their northern rivals had other plans.
As the Americans shocked El Tri by scoring two goals and eliminating Mexico in the round of 16 to then later go on and fought against a tough german squad in the quarter-finals.
Aguirre and Co Remain Supreme in Azteca
In the hexagonal round of the 2009 World Cup Qualifiers, Mexico was a wounded team headed into the second qualifying match against the United States. As Mexico had only 6 points out of a possible 15 points having lost to the United States, El Salvador, and Honduras. El Tri had to make a call to an old friend Javier Aguirre to try and steer Mexico back on track and qualify for the 2010 world cup.
The one thing that Mexico had on their side before the match was history being on their side as the United States had never won in the Estadio Azteca. The US team struck early in the match as Alphonso Davies scored the opening goal 9 minutes into the match.
El Tri though did not give up as 10 minutes later Israel Castro sent a blazing shoot outside the 18 yard box evening the score in the 19th minute. When it seemed like the United States would be leaving the Azteca with a valuable point Miguel Sabah gave all the Mexicans the game-winning goal in the 82nd minute giving El Tri a life-saving three points and bringing them back in the hunt for a world cup spot.
The Original “Dos A Cero” in Columbus
In February 28, 2001, the USA played host to Mexico in the 2002 World Cup Qualifiers in Columbus, Ohio which would be the beginning of this famous ‘Dos A Cero’ chant that many USMNT fans continue to chant.
The United States was able to score two goals in the 2nd half by Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart a shocker to the Mexican team who at the time had men on their roster like Jorge Campos, Rafa Marquez, Paco Palencia just to name a few.
The win by the United States in Columbus, Ohio would help find their eventual home for future matches against Mexico as this felt like the only stadium the Americans felt like they had home-field advantage in the stands.
