Mexico Restores Order to Its Universe
Israel Castro after his frozen-rope shot tied the match. The captain and defender Carlos Bocanegra, left, was slow in closing the space in front of the U.S. goal.
MEXICO CITY — The United States took its first lead in four decades of playing soccer at Estadio Azteca on Wednesday, but the advantage proved as thin and gasping as the air at high altitude.
Meanwhile, Mexico played with great patience, controlling possession along with its emotions, remaining serene despite enormous pressure not to lose at home for the first time to the Americans and further jeopardize its ability to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
And then, in the 82nd minute, when the ball popped free in a capricious moment, the substitute forward Miguel Sabah pounced on it, finding great fortune three minutes after entering the game.
His blast gave Mexico a 2-1 victory, sending the 105,000 fans at Azteca into ecstatic release, igniting a hail of flag-waving, beer-tossing and horn-blowing celebration. National pride was bolstered, and so were Mexico’s chances of reaching South Africa.
“This was life or death for the whole country,” said Kurt Vogt, a Mexican supporter, his face painted in the green, white and red of the nation’s flag.
Landon Donovan endured a debris shower as he prepared to take a corner kick.
The United States’ chances of qualifying for the World Cup remain encouraging, but Wednesday’s late defeat brought disappointment over an opportunity missed. The American players were convinced they could win in Mexico. Instead, their record south of the border slipped to 0-23-1.
Once again, as it had done against Italy and Brazil in the Confederations Cup in June, the United States took a lead but could not hold it.
“To be a great team, you have to learn how to control the lead,” said forward Charlie Davies, whose blistering goal gave the United States a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.
But the advantage faded, and so did some of the luster of the Americans’ performance this summer at the Confederations Cup, where they defeated Spain, then the world’s No. 1 team, and took Brazil to the wire in the final.
In three weeks, the United States has now lost twice to Mexico. The 5-0 loss last month at the Gold Cup final could be explained away by the use of reserve players. On Wednesday, though, both sides were stocked with regulars, and Mexico proved to be the better and luckier team.
Mexico urgently needed a win at home after losing previous qualifying matches in the United States, Honduras and El Salvador. The game possessed the consuming feeling of a World Cup and a national referendum.
Fans wore their green team jerseys all over the city, whether they attended the match or not. Seven hours before kickoff, animated discussions were already under way on television. Newspapers carried headlines like “D-Day” and “Zero Hour.” Psychics were brought in to predict the outcome.
As the Americans left their hotel two hours before kickoff, they were greeted by Mexican supporters holding their hands aloft — five fingers spread on one hand, the fist closed on the other, a reference to the 5-0 Gold Cup victory.
Azteca throbbed like a beehive with the buzz of plastic horns from the moment the American goalkeepers appeared for warm-ups. Later, the horns attempted to drown out the United States’ national anthem.
But it was a fragile, nervous confidence. Javier Aguirre, the Mexican coach, had hoped for an early goal, to calm Mexico’s players and its supporters. Instead, the opposite happened.
In the ninth minute, Landon Donovan played a crisp pass from midfield to the left wing, hitting Davies in stride. Davies’s speed and determination had been impressive at the Confederations Cup; this time he struck the ball sharply from 12 yards inside the right post, giving the United States a 1-0 advantage. The next sound was 105,000 people growing silent and alarmed.
Never before had the Americans taken a lead at Azteca, whose mystique is as imposing as its 7,200-foot altitude. Only once had Mexico lost a World Cup qualifying match here. Davies ran to the corner flag and began dancing, until he was whisked away by his teammate Michael Bradley as debris was hurled from the stands.
Many wondered whether the crowd would turn on Mexico’s players if they fell behind, or whether a sense of despair would overtake Azteca. Neither happened as the American advantage proved as brief as it was rare.
“Despite falling behind, we maintained calm and order and hope,” the Mexican defender Efraín Juárez said.
Ten minutes later, Donovan was stripped at midfield and Israel Castro rocketed a shot from 30 yards, the ball hitting the crossbar and ricocheting into the goal, drawing Mexico even at 1-1 in the 19th minute.
The second half became a chess match of substitutions as players began to tire. The reserve midfielder Stuart Holden sent a beautiful cross into the penalty area, just beyond Davies’s reach. Tempers grew short as Davies fell to the ground with cramps. The Mexican players apparently thought he was stalling. Pushing ensued.
As the end neared, the United States felt assured of at least a tie, a worthy outcome. But with eight minutes remaining, Donovan hesitated slightly on defense and Juárez dribbled past him in the penalty area.
Jay DeMerit rushed over and made a slide tackle, and the ball popped free to Sabah, who roofed it from 10 yards for the deciding goal. For a moment, Mexico could forget about its ailing economy, swine flu epidemic and barbarous drug wars. The archrival Americans had been vanquished.
“Where are you now, gringos? Where are you now?” Carlos Alatorre, a Mexican supporter, sang with his friends on a ramp outside the stadium.
“This is the most important thing we’ve ever done against the U.S.,” Alatorre said.
Costa Rica leads the six-team group with 12 points despite its 4-0 loss to Honduras on Wednesday night. Honduras and the United States are tied with 10 points, and Mexico is another point back, with only the top three qualifying automatically.
A spot in the World Cup is not guaranteed, but for a day, the crisis in Mexican soccer faded into relieved merriment. Even Aguirre could allow himself a moment of satisfaction.
Meanwhile, Mexico played with great patience, controlling possession along with its emotions, remaining serene despite enormous pressure not to lose at home for the first time to the Americans and further jeopardize its ability to qualify for the 2010 World Cup.
And then, in the 82nd minute, when the ball popped free in a capricious moment, the substitute forward Miguel Sabah pounced on it, finding great fortune three minutes after entering the game.
His blast gave Mexico a 2-1 victory, sending the 105,000 fans at Azteca into ecstatic release, igniting a hail of flag-waving, beer-tossing and horn-blowing celebration. National pride was bolstered, and so were Mexico’s chances of reaching South Africa.
“This was life or death for the whole country,” said Kurt Vogt, a Mexican supporter, his face painted in the green, white and red of the nation’s flag.
The United States’ chances of qualifying for the World Cup remain encouraging, but Wednesday’s late defeat brought disappointment over an opportunity missed. The American players were convinced they could win in Mexico. Instead, their record south of the border slipped to 0-23-1.
Once again, as it had done against Italy and Brazil in the Confederations Cup in June, the United States took a lead but could not hold it.
“To be a great team, you have to learn how to control the lead,” said forward Charlie Davies, whose blistering goal gave the United States a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute.
But the advantage faded, and so did some of the luster of the Americans’ performance this summer at the Confederations Cup, where they defeated Spain, then the world’s No. 1 team, and took Brazil to the wire in the final.
In three weeks, the United States has now lost twice to Mexico. The 5-0 loss last month at the Gold Cup final could be explained away by the use of reserve players. On Wednesday, though, both sides were stocked with regulars, and Mexico proved to be the better and luckier team.
Mexico urgently needed a win at home after losing previous qualifying matches in the United States, Honduras and El Salvador. The game possessed the consuming feeling of a World Cup and a national referendum.
Fans wore their green team jerseys all over the city, whether they attended the match or not. Seven hours before kickoff, animated discussions were already under way on television. Newspapers carried headlines like “D-Day” and “Zero Hour.” Psychics were brought in to predict the outcome.
As the Americans left their hotel two hours before kickoff, they were greeted by Mexican supporters holding their hands aloft — five fingers spread on one hand, the fist closed on the other, a reference to the 5-0 Gold Cup victory.
Azteca throbbed like a beehive with the buzz of plastic horns from the moment the American goalkeepers appeared for warm-ups. Later, the horns attempted to drown out the United States’ national anthem.
But it was a fragile, nervous confidence. Javier Aguirre, the Mexican coach, had hoped for an early goal, to calm Mexico’s players and its supporters. Instead, the opposite happened.
In the ninth minute, Landon Donovan played a crisp pass from midfield to the left wing, hitting Davies in stride. Davies’s speed and determination had been impressive at the Confederations Cup; this time he struck the ball sharply from 12 yards inside the right post, giving the United States a 1-0 advantage. The next sound was 105,000 people growing silent and alarmed.
Never before had the Americans taken a lead at Azteca, whose mystique is as imposing as its 7,200-foot altitude. Only once had Mexico lost a World Cup qualifying match here. Davies ran to the corner flag and began dancing, until he was whisked away by his teammate Michael Bradley as debris was hurled from the stands.
Many wondered whether the crowd would turn on Mexico’s players if they fell behind, or whether a sense of despair would overtake Azteca. Neither happened as the American advantage proved as brief as it was rare.
“Despite falling behind, we maintained calm and order and hope,” the Mexican defender Efraín Juárez said.
Ten minutes later, Donovan was stripped at midfield and Israel Castro rocketed a shot from 30 yards, the ball hitting the crossbar and ricocheting into the goal, drawing Mexico even at 1-1 in the 19th minute.
The second half became a chess match of substitutions as players began to tire. The reserve midfielder Stuart Holden sent a beautiful cross into the penalty area, just beyond Davies’s reach. Tempers grew short as Davies fell to the ground with cramps. The Mexican players apparently thought he was stalling. Pushing ensued.
As the end neared, the United States felt assured of at least a tie, a worthy outcome. But with eight minutes remaining, Donovan hesitated slightly on defense and Juárez dribbled past him in the penalty area.
Jay DeMerit rushed over and made a slide tackle, and the ball popped free to Sabah, who roofed it from 10 yards for the deciding goal. For a moment, Mexico could forget about its ailing economy, swine flu epidemic and barbarous drug wars. The archrival Americans had been vanquished.
“Where are you now, gringos? Where are you now?” Carlos Alatorre, a Mexican supporter, sang with his friends on a ramp outside the stadium.
“This is the most important thing we’ve ever done against the U.S.,” Alatorre said.
Costa Rica leads the six-team group with 12 points despite its 4-0 loss to Honduras on Wednesday night. Honduras and the United States are tied with 10 points, and Mexico is another point back, with only the top three qualifying automatically.
A spot in the World Cup is not guaranteed, but for a day, the crisis in Mexican soccer faded into relieved merriment. Even Aguirre could allow himself a moment of satisfaction.
“We can take two tequilas tonight,” he said.
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