US vs Mexico

US vs Mexico

This is the grudge match in North American soccer. It isn't the oldest or the deepest in the world, but it does have a nice little history and just plain unsportsmanlike conduct. The US won the first match back in 1934, but then didn't win again until 1980. Since 1991 Mexico has started to struggle against the US unless they were playing in the Mile High Smog filled Azteca stadium. In fact the US has flipped the results completely since 2000.

Highlights
* Mexican fans chant Osama to the U-23 team in 2004.
* In 2001, the US decides to stop playing games against Mexico in LA, Houston, Chicago with large hispanic populations. They move to Columbus even playing in cold weather which aggravated the Mexican players who didn't warm up before the game calling the game Guerra Fria
* Landon Donovan caught peeing in Estadio Jalisco in Mexico because they didn't open the locker room, but they didn't stop the uproar from Mexico.
*Oswaldo Sanchez tries to take out the US forward Eddie Johnson after being scored on by Landon Donovan.
* When your captain departs from the normal cliche "It's just another game" and states "It's not just another game for me. I clearly, absolutely, desperately want to beat them,"
* Hooting and whistling and booing during the Star Spangled Banner, just about every match this happens against Mexico.
* I have now lost count on the number of coaches since 2001 for Mexico. Everytime they get beat they change.
* They are selling voodoo dolls in Mexico for the latest match. Voodoo dolls with "Gringos" on the back.
* Personally been to one game in the Cotton Bowl. US won on a last minute goal 1-0. Mexican fans didn't realize they had lost on the way out. Had to show him the score board. I have cheered in the Aggie section at Kyle field when my team was winning against the Aggies, but there hasn't been a feeling like being the lone two guys standing in the Mexican section (which was the whole stadium) cheering after Eddie Pope crashed the winning goal in. I have never been more scared in my life, even the time someone tried to rob me.

I may be a little biased for the US, but it sure seems during the games that Mexico has definitely become frustrated because the unsportsmanlike conduct's two way street is heavy on the Mexican side of the road. Tomorrow night is a World Cup Qualifier, and might not end up deciding how goes to the World Cup because the top 3 out of 6 go down to South Africa in 2010. But I might expect some fireworks, because Mexico wants it bad and they aren't playing that well lately. In fact they lost to Sweden at home 1-0 and the US beat Sweden 3-2 although the game really was in the US hands until the last minute goal to make it 3-2.

It should be interesting, unless the new Mexican coach Sven Goran Eriksson plays it safe for the tie on the road which he has been known to do and hated in England for it.