Oh, and the 2-0 score line doesn’t hurt either.
That’s right, the U.S. were able to defend their home turf yet again. Riding a wave of red-clad support from the fans at Columbus (big thanks to the American Outlaws and Sam's Army), the national team kicked off the final round of qualifying in style with a convincing win in the border clash against El Tri. The men’s national team has now gone eleven straight matches without a home defeat against Mexico, posting a 9-0-2 record.
Michael Bradley was the undisputed "Man of the Match" – not only did he fire home both U.S. goals, but his tireless effort in the midfield nullified any attempt by Mexico for a comeback.
“Before the match in the locker room I looked around at everyone’s eyes and everyone was very psyched to play,” said Bradley. “We all knew it was a big game and it was going to be tough.”
The match was indeed difficult, as the players not only had to contend with each other but also battle the contentious weather. But the U.S. squad rose to the occasion with strong team play. Landon Donovan even took a break from his role as scorer to turn distributor, setting up both Bradley goals.
“This game is as big as any game we have,” Donovan said. “We’re all willing to do whatever it takes to win. It brings out the best in me and it brings out the best in all of us.”
And while we’re on the topic of bringing out the best, Clint Dempsey brought out his top-shelf Mercurial Vapors for the big match. Clint was sporting personalized Mercurials from NIKEiD that featured his name, as well as the Don’t Tread on Me snake. If you like what you see, go to NIKEiD to design your very own Mercurial boots. And, if you want to rock some Don’t Tread threads, head over to NikeStore to find a DTOM Tee and a DTOM Cap.
In other CONCACAF qualifying news, Costa Rica beat Honduras 2-0 and El Salvador rallied late to earn a draw with T & T. So for now, the U.S. and Costa Rica are right where they want to be – sitting on top of the leader board. But, come end of March beginning of April, when the teams play two games in quick secession, the red, white and blue could put some serious breathing room between themselves and the rest of the pack.
So let’s get behind our team and let it be known throughout the land: DON'T TREAD ON THE RED!
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