For the first time in 75 years, the US Men’s National team headed to Mexico and walked away victorious. Going into the game nobody gave the US a shot, at winning. Not with this squad, a team bringing in 2 new CB’s and a squad without stars such as Jozy Altidore, Michale Bradley, and the captain Carlos Bocanegra. All the journalists, fans and odds makers on both sides of the border gave Mexico the advantage and rightfully so. Better squads from the US have headed into Azteca to walk away empty handed.
Jurgen Klinsmann entered the game with a quiet confidence; he made some moves and calls that were seen as questionable pre-kickoff. The call ups of Michael Orozco-Fiscal, Brek Shea, Edgar Castillo, and Demarcus Beasley to name a few. Jurgen did a masterful job of navigating the team and making the right changes. Not many people thought starting Geoff Cameron and Maurice Edu at CB. They are inexperienced, have never played together, in fact Edu never played CB for the national team. They played together and made some incredible plays, showed great chemistry. Cameron was the MVP of the team he held the fort down and weathered the storm. He put a herculean effort out on the pitch. Jurgen also was spot on with his subs, bringing in Shea, Boyd, and Orozco-Fiscal who all combined to score the winning goal.
This game had the US on the defense for most of the game. That was expected going up against a strong Mexican offense but the US fought hard and created chances. Landon Donovan in the first half facilitated the ball and created a few chances for Herculez Gomez. The offense looked better than first projected. Not to mention the impact Boyd had making a brilliant assist to MOF. Shea who was the architect of the goal made an incredible run through the defense. Shea’s call up was a shocker; he has been having a rough and turbulent season. He had a minor fallout with the coach, was benched and had trade speculations swarm him. Recently Brek Shea has turned his play around and Jurgen called him up.
Tim Howard was Tim Howard, he came into Azteca made big saves, dictated the defense and walked away victorious. Tim Howard just made a claim why he could be the best US goalie ever. He has been bailing us out and saving us for years. Cannot say enough about Tim Howard who felt the heat and the lasers of the Mexican crowd.
This game is and will be forever looked back as a historic event in US Soccer history. For 75 years we have marched into Mexico and came up empty handed. Every player who has dawned the US jersey has been chasing this white rabbit. Players have gone their whole careers having achieved major accomplishments but it has always been hanging over the nations head. Landon Donovan, who is the face of US soccer, has been the face that finally can say he helped topple Azteca.
This is hands down one of the greatest rivalry’s in sports and it just got better.
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