DaMarcus Beasley came on at halftime in Puebla's hosting of Chiapas Sunday. And 25 minutes later he caught a Felix Borja header on the volley from 12 yards out, and drilled it into the upper-right corner. It's his fifth of the season and fourth in Liga MX. The man does score a ton of goals with his right.
Santos Laguna ace Herculez Gomez pounced on a rebound for the only goal of their CONCACAF Champions League semifinal tie opener in Seattle. He now has a cup-killer nine goals in 13 career tourney matches.- Greg Seltzer
Puebla winger DaMarcus Beasley hit his first of the season as temporary equalizer in a 2-1 loss to Tigres on Sunday. The fine goal play starts at the 54-second mark. - Greg Seltzer
The United States men's national team walks into Estadio Azteca tonight with a huge momentum boost from Friday's "snow-pocalypse" match against Costa Rica.
You were probably looking for a beer to drink during with the last game and we failed you because we were too busy tailgating in Denver to order our team of monkeys to bang one out on the ol' typewriter.
The U.S. Men's National Team's memorable scoreless draw against Mexico was the highlight of a busy week on the American soccer scene and is the focus of the latest episode of The SBI Podcast.
Episode 21 touches on the USMNT's memorable week in qualifying, as we discuss which players stepped up the most, and which players made the most of their chances in the March qualifiers.
The Estadio Azteca is one of the most difficult places to play in world football and getting a point at the vaunted Mexican stadium is a very difficult task. The draw with Mexico actually moved the United States down the CONCACAF standings, but a draw at Mexico's home field is an encouraging result.
Matt Besler and the US defense were all over Mexico last night. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
What else can you say about last night's 0-0 draw for the US National Team against Mexico? Was it pretty? No all the time? But was it effective? Absolutely.
Jurgen Klinsmann and the US squad had a game plan and stuck with it.
MEXICO CITY (March 26, 2013) - For just the second time in U.S. Men's National Team's World Cup Qualifying history, the USA earned a point at Estadio Azteca with a 0-0 draw against Mexico in front of a massive crowd.
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made three saves to record his second-straight clean sheet, and the young center back duo of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler showed tremendous poise and grit in helping the USA earn a historic result.
Perhaps this was the reason for hiring Jurgen Klinsmann: The man is undefeated in leading the United States against Mexico.
Admittedly, it's only two games, but Klinsmann's 1-0-1 record now includes a critical point on the road to Brazil 2014 earned in Azteca Stadium on Tuesday night. By holding Mexico 0-0, the United States moved to 1-1-1 in World Cup qualifying and improved to 0-13-2 all time in qualifiers played in the Mexican capital.
The United States Men's National Team earned a historic point on Tuesday night with a scoreless CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying draw against Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The draw leaves the USA (1-1-1, 4 points) in a three way tie for second in the CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying final round.
For only the second time in 14 World Cup qualifying matches, the U.S. national team came away from Estadio Azteca with a point Tuesday. The makeshift back line and backup goalkeeper Brad Guzan did just enough to hold on for [...]
March 22, 2013: Mexico 2, Honduras 2The United States Men's National Team will be trying to make history while the Mexican National Team will try and feed off of their home crowd as both look for a win in tonight's biggest World Cup qualifying match. In two matches thus far, the U.
Coming into today's Hexagonal games, the United States is one of only two teams with a win in two matches. Of course, we're also one of only two teams with a loss, which does take away somewhat from that feeling. Mexico, our hosts and opponents tonight, have two draws to their credit. Of course, all of that will have precisely no bearing on tonight's World Cup Qualifier between the top two teams in CONCACAF.
Can the US keep Mexico winless in 2013? (Photo by Miguel Tovar/Getty Images)
Let me just say, all the pressure is on Mexico. Yep. All of it. After the US Men's National team victory in the SnowClasico last Friday over Costa Rica, the pressure went south to Mexico.
The Los Angeles Galaxy are in a tough spot facing Monterrey in the second leg of the CONCACAF Champions League semifinal on Wednesday, April 10, at 10 p.m. ET.
Landon Donovan of the LA Galaxy (Google Creative Commons)
The Galaxy have to play in Mexico after losing 2-1 at home a week ago.
The 1-2 victory by Monterrey in the CONCACAF Champions League this week punished the Los Angeles Galaxy for their break down in the last minutes of the match at Home Depot Center stadium this week. Additionally, this vanished the Californian team's record with no losses thus far in the year and was an unpleasant first meeting to the American side with the Northeastern Mexican squad.
The United States Men's National Team did not score a single goal for 90 minutes but were very happy with how they played and their coach Jurgen Klinsmann had nothing but praise for them. The USMNT are not the best national team in the world (in fact, they rank 33rd and dropped one spot) so the excitement for the tie against No.
The United States visited neighbors Mexico last night in a massive CONCACAF World Cup Qualifier that led to spoils being shared in a 0-0 draw. Though Mexico maintained most of the possession throughout the match, the Americans did exactly what they needed to do to grab a vital point in their quest for Brazil 2014.
Game recap via ussoccer.com :For just the second time in U.S. Men's National Team's World Cup Qualifying history, the USA earned a point at Estadio Azteca with a 0-0 draw against Mexico in front of a massive crowd.
Goalkeeper Brad Guzan made three saves to record his second-straight clean sheet, and the young center back duo of Omar Gonzalez and Matt Besler showed tremendous poise and grit in helping the USA earn a historic result.
The US did something last night they've only done once before in Mexico City. Against Mexico in a World Cup qualifier, the US walked out of Azteca with a point thanks to a 0-0 draw last night. The US didn't put on the greatest performance offensively, but defensively the team was solid. Starting center backs Matt Besler and Omar Gonzalez were making just their 2nd and 6th cap respectively and in arguably one of the toughest places to play in the world, looked World Class.
This is it, folks. This is for all the marbles. This is the game that matters more than any other, because it's the United States and it's Mexico and it's World Cup Qualifying and it's at the Azteca and all of the ridiculousness that goes with such a big rivalry match. No USA fan likes the idea of Mexico beating the Yanks, and no Mexico fan will accept failure at Estadio Azteca.
One of the biggest clashes in world soccer happens tonight when the United States plays against Mexico in the fortress known as Azteca Stadium in Mexico City.
Mexico, who have drawn their first two matches of World Cup qualifying, will be desperate for a win tonight against their arch-enemy.
American teams do not win in Mexico. There is a simple trilogy of competitive victories in the modern era for the Americans. The United States did it at Azteca in a friendly under Jurgen. FC Dallas pulled it off in the CONCACAF Champions League against a reserve side. And of course the Seattle Sounders beat Monterrey.
What happened Tuesday and Wednesday nights in the first legs of the semifinals of CONCACAF Champions League confirmed what many pundits already thought: Mexico's First Division, Liga MX, is a higher quality soccer league than MLS.
Two of the top Mexican clubs went in as visitors to play the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy and each won their respective match.
A combination of good work and good fortune gave the U.S. their first point in World Cup qualifying at Mexico's Estadio Azteca since 1997 with a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night. With that result, U.S. manager Jurgen Klinsmann, who was questioned by unnamed members of his own squad last week, remains undefeated at the Azteca after getting the U.
U.S. goalkeeper Brad Guzan blocks a shot during Monday's training session in Mexico City. (Christian Palma/Associated Press)
By Martin Hajovsky
The Houston chapter of the American Outlaws US Soccer supporters group will host a watch party for tonight's U.S. vs. Mexico World Cup qualifier at Lucky's Pub, 801 St.
The third match day of the CONCACAF Hexagonal round sees a match between rivals (U.S. vs. Mexico), and two other matches between teams trying to create space between one another. Last-placed Costa Rica take on Jamaica, who are right in the middle of the pack, while leaders Honduras visit Panama, with two points from two draws.
Mexico 2-2 Honduras If you had told the Mexican national team before this match that they would leave with a point from SPS, they would have taken it with both hands and said "Gracias!" But the way three points became one in the space of four minutes must have left them feeling sick. In an evenly played match, Mexico -- more precisely Javier Hernández -- made the most of the chances offered to them.
Manchester United have been told they will have to include Javier Hernandez as part of any deal to bring Cristiano Ronaldo back to Old Trafford, according to The Sun. Real Madrid are reportedly so interested in the Mexico international that they will pursue a £25 million deal for him even if United's pursuit of Ronaldo [.
It happened on August 23 of 2011. A team of mainly reserves (this isn't hyperbole) went down to Monterrey, Mexico and pulled off a 1-nil win. That Seattle Sounders side faced a fairly standard Rayados lineup. They won. It was an upset, but the stakes were not high. It damaged the mystique, but was not an advancement in a knockout stage.
The US Men's National Team is certainly stealing the spotlight of this episode after a dramatic point in Mexico. The draw gave Luke and Pedro plenty of talking points, none more than the impressive play of the back line. Guest Odeen Domingo joins the show to talk about his efforts as the Phoenix FC beat writer.
The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced a special "victory parade" in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the 0-0 draw in a World Cup qualifier against Mexico at the Estadio Azteca. It was only the second time the U.S. earned a point in World Cup qualifiers at the Azteca (the first time coming in 1997) and follows the country's first ever win in Mexico last year.
Team USA were in high spirits after forcing fierce rivals Mexico to their third draw of the Hex World Cup Qualification stage at their own fabled Azteca stadium. Around 500 American fans travelled to the match in Mexico City, where they were penned into an upper tier by riot police.
When they say that soccer is about tribe there are few better examples to American sports fans than the United States v Mexico rivalry. It consumes one nation and gathers both states' fans up in this homogeneous goop that ignores club ties. It is the greatest rivalry in CONCACAF. It is a border war.
