All Things Mexico

United States' Christian Pulisic was on target in Friday's 2-0 win over Mexico, but it was the message scrawled on his T-shirt that made headlines as the winger responded to a pre-match jibe from their North American arch rivals with one of his own.

Second-half substitute Pulisic headed home a cross within five minutes of coming on, while Weston McKennie scored another as a young U.S. team moved to the top  of the World Cup qualifying CONCACAF standings.

When the USMNT and Mexico met on Nov. 12 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati, it marked the 73rd clash between the two giants of the CONCACAF region. On Mar. 24 we’ll do it all again, adding another monumental World Cup qualifying chapter to a rivalry that really doesn’t need any pretense to get the blood boiling.

When the USMNT welcomes Mexico to TQL Stadium in Cincinnati on Friday night, the Stars and Stripes will boast the emotional and mental edge of having defeated El Tri in their last two meetings — both finals, no less. 

But it’s Mexico that holds a three-point advantage over the U.S. at the top of the Octagonal as we hit the halfway point of qualifying, and Tata Martino can rely on a first-choice attack that Gregg Berhalter’s men didn’t see over the summer.

The soccer rivalry between Mexico and the United States is one of the fiercest and most entertaining in the world. As a USMNT supporter, I consider myself lucky to call Mexico a neighbor. If Mexico didn’t play in Concacaf, the region would be incredibly dull. 

All soccer fans in North America look forward to when El Tri and the Stars and Stripes meet, whether it’s a friendly, Gold Cup match or World Cup qualifier. The atmosphere at these games is one of the best in the world, but sometimes supporters get a little out of control. 

After the USMNT escaped El Salvador with a 0-0 draw to begin World Cup qualifying, various Twitter accounts with profile pictures of teenaged USMNT stars chalked it off as unacceptable. 

Landon Donovan labelled that thinking as "crazy."