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The United States and Mexico will face off tonight in the Alamodome: an arena named in tribute to the Battle of the Alamo, in which the Texian Army was slaughtered after a 13-day siege at the hands of the Mexican Army. It was a crushing loss, but it ultimately catalyzed the Texian Army to victory in the Texas Revolution. It is a timeless piece of history for Americans, a classic example of losing the battle but winning the war. The United States Men’s National team has also had it’s fair share of losses to Mexico. These defeats span the spectrum from humiliating single game losses, to a history of inadequacy.
Looking back, we see 4-2 and 5-0 in the 2011 and 2009 Gold Cup Finals, respectively; 33 wins for Mexico to 18 for the U.S.; and 131 goals for Mexico to 73 for the US. If the United States is to match the precedent set by the Alamo almost two hundred years ago, it certainly has lost the battle enough times, but we have a hard time believing it will ever win the war.
For all that Jurgen Klinsmann has done to add potential to the USMNT, he has not done much to change the seemingly ever present notion that the team is in some stage of finding itself. The team is incredibly inconsistent: one day Gyasi Zardes looks like Thierry Henry as he helps to dismantle Panama, and the next the defense allows Niklas Bendter to score a hat trick. Nicklas Bendter. You will have to forgive us for not caring much about how well the USMNT played at the 2014 World Cup in the face of such an embarrassment.
It does not matter how much Klinsmann raises the talent level of the team if it is constantly lacking either fluidity in attack or consistency in defense. Mexico has long since developed a national identity when it comes to this, and it has been reaping the rewards against the U.S. for quite some time.
Mexico will always be favored over the United States when both teams are at full strength, especially if the game becomes an open and attacking affair. Unfortunately, for fans of the team and neutrals alike, Mexico will be at nowhere near full strength tonight.
Every single player chosen by Miguel Herrera for tonight’s game currently plays in Liga MX. Because of this, the game will offer a rare opportunity for the best and brightest domestic Mexican talents to show they deserve to represent El Tri at the Gold Cup and Copa America this summer. That they will take the field without so many of Herrera’s first choice XI is a blessing and a curse. These players will be judged by their individual performances more than anything, because it matters little how they jell with a team the majority of which will not be selected when the games actually matter. The talented will have a chance to thrive and be remembered, while those that allow the talented to thrive will likely go unappreciated.
This could make for an exciting game, as players like Jurgen Damm and Erick “Cubo” Torres will be eager to show off what they can do on the field in hopes of impressing Herrera. Or, it could turn into a mess of individual efforts that never find the correct combination to unlock the U.S. defense. In either case, we look forward to seeing how young defender Carlos Salcido handles himself. We hope that he will establish himself as a leader on the field, a calming presence in the midst of a midfield and attack that is shooting for the moon.
As for the United States, expect Jurgen Klinsmann to put out a lineup that balances experience and youth. We hope that he tilts his selection towards enticing attacking play from the game, and he is the kind of manager that has no problem doing just that.
The United States will win this game. They have more experience internationally and more chemistry internally. That being said, this game will be close, a 2-1 victory for the Americans sounds right. The pressure to perform individually will ultimately work against Mexico. It may produce a moment of brilliance, but it will not be enough to on the night.
