Written By The United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) continued their unbeaten streak against Mexico on Sunday night, securing a 2-2 draw in their second CONCACAF Nations League encounter. The result, while not a victory, maintains the USMNT’s undefeated record against their rivals dating back to 2018.
The match, played at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado, was a hard-fought battle between two teams with a storied history. The USMNT entered the match after a 1-0 victory against Honduras in the Nations League semifinals, while Mexico defeated Costa Rica by the same scoreline.
The USMNT got off to a dream start when forward Brenden Aaronson scored in the 1st minute, the fastest goal ever conceded by Mexico against the United States. However, Mexico responded quickly with two goals in the first half, courtesy of Hector Herrera and Diego Lainez. The USMNT leveled the score in the 79th minute, with a header from Weston McKennie off a corner kick.
Despite the draw, USMNT coach Gregg Berhalter was pleased with his team’s performance. “I thought the guys showed incredible fight, incredible character,” Berhalter said in a post-match press conference. “It’s never easy going down 2-1 against Mexico, but we stuck to our game plan, we stuck to our principles, and we were able to get the tying goal.”
The USMNT’s unbeaten record against Mexico is a source of pride for American soccer fans, particularly given Mexico’s dominance in the early years of the rivalry. Mexico holds a 36-19-15 advantage in the all-time series, but the USMNT has now gone four matches without a loss against their rivals.
The result sets up an intriguing Nations League final on Sunday, June 6, where the USMNT will face Costa Rica in the final. The match, which will take place at Empower Field at Mile High, will provide another opportunity for the USMNT to demonstrate their improvement under Berhalter’s leadership.
As the USMNT continues to build towards the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, maintaining their unbeaten record against Mexico will be seen as an important milestone. With a young and talented squad, led by the likes of Christian Pulisic and Weston McKennie, the future looks bright for American soccer.
However, the USMNT will need to continue to improve if they are to compete against the world’s top teams. The team’s next major test will come in the form of the Gold Cup, which will take place in July and August. The USMNT will be looking to win their seventh Gold Cup, and their first since 2017.
In the end, the USMNT’s draw against Mexico was a reminder of the intense and historic rivalry between the two nations. As both teams continue to prepare for the future, the battles between the USMNT and El Tri promise to be some of the most compelling and exciting matches in international soccer.
