EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Vindication. Satisfaction. Domination.
After finally earning a win against the American soccer team on U.S. soil, Mexico’s players used all of those words Sunday to describe the 5-0 romp that gave them their fifth Gold Cup championship.
Oh, and another one: pride.
“I believe this is a great win for Mexico because we showed the pride we have in our hearts today,” midfielder Giovani Dos Santos said. “This is a huge step for us in the process.”
That process had included no progress this decade when the U.S. hosted its southern rival. The Mexicans were 0-9-2 since a March 1999 victory in San Diego.
They snapped that victory drought before an overwhelmingly pro-Mexico crowd of 79,156 at Giants Stadium with an offensive onslaught in the second half. Captain Gerardo Torrado scored on a penalty kick in the 56th minute, then the inexperienced U.S. squad came unglued.
“When a goal is scored, there’s always a change in the game and we didn’t respond well,” coach Bob Bradley said of the worst American home loss since a 5-0 stinker against England on June 16, 1985.
As the green-clad fans rocked Giants Stadium, game MVP Dos Santos and Carlos Vela scored five minutes apart despite several brilliant saves by Troy Perkins. Indeed, it seemed the goalkeeper was the only American on the field during the 11-minute blitz.
Mexico 0 5 — 5 United States 0 0 — 0 First half — No scoring.
Second half — 1, Mexico, Torrado (penalty kick), 56th minute. 2, Mexico, Dos Santos (Sabah), 62nd. 3, Mexico, Vela, 67th. 4, Mexico, J. Castro (Vela), 79th. 5, Mexico, Franco, 90th.
Yellow cards — Heaps, U.S., 24th, 88th; Pause, U.S., 27th; Medina, Mexico, 45th; Sabah, Mexico, 68th; Cooper, U.S., 88th.
Red card — Heaps, U.S., 88th.
Referee — Courtney Campbell, Jamaica.
A — 79,156.
