USMNT 2-0 Mexico
Gotham finished just over 2’ before kickoff. I ran into Fernando Fiore last night, he had gone to Philly for a game then to NJ, today in Dallas, I want his travel miles and budget.
Dest opens with a hard foul a few yard beyond the box even to the top of it, not the best of places to do so. On goal, Turner punches it out Mexico recovers, he was in traffic, the best move. Ream gets a start on the back line, Reyna in at the start as well as Adams, Pulisic with the captains band, all with strong NY ties, 2 to LI. Turner has it, runs up the area and bumped, hey it is Mexico what do you expect. Robinson looking for a past NY Cosmos player in Wright, and Pulisic all but puts it away. Such high energy, can it possibly be sustained? The press works forcing it back and then out of play. In their offensive third, the US has a throw. Adams, with a half chance from in the box it’s a corner. Turner sends one to Memo. In the home of America’s Football team, the crowd is pro Mexico Haji taken down near midfield and is holding his neck. Weah of Queens challenges for a ball it is also played out of touch. Pulisic in on goal wins a corner. Reyna takes the bottom of a boot and gets the pain and the call but no card. Pulisic from 30 yards headed out, recovered by the US and it’s into the area then out for Reyna he looks for Dest, too high but he was wide open. Dest gives up a deep throw, it is into the area and a fast shot covered up by Turner, there was not much on it. Reyna touched a few times, gets it to Pulisic, his pass off the mark to Dest. USA lost it in the circle. Poor marking and a chest trap to the GK under pressure was a bit risky. McKennie gets the first caution for the professional foul of holding the player by the waist to slow and bring him down, foolish they had speed but not even at the midfield line. No pressure Meico turns it over, passing open space. Wright gets tangled up each grabbing the other US gets the call. Robinson with an unforced error, a very errant pass, these things by both sides must end, sloppy play will cost you. A missed trap has Dest just wide on the shot, Scally of Lake Grove has his name called. Mexico corner cleared over the endline. Next one headed out of touch. Adams is jumped on off the throw and US has a kick coming out of the area. US win a corner. Tyler from another zip code and is swarmed by his team, now you hear only the US supporters in the stadium. Weah to McKennie and from far beyond the arc the ball had some serious movement and a slight screen by the defense but what a shot.
Memo followed and the man is open on the left wing of the US but his ball blocked and US holds then a foul and Wright is down, we see Adams too on the touchline. Dest with a great move to beat his mark. Lays it off to be played through the area and that is what the ball did and goes out of play on the other side of the field. Weah gets a ball, goes across the 6, rocketed out for a corner. A great start to this 2nd half for the US. You see the big bodies Wright etc., in the area banging and Weah hanging at the near post. Wright picks up a deflected ball, finds himself thrown to the ground in the area, no call, down to Turner he one handed grabs it and starts a break. Weah with the smallest window of space gets off a great shot, equaled by the save of Ochoa, US corner. Out of the area by Mexico a pass to Pulisic is lost out of touch. Again a lot of contact by Mexico not called, Concacafed? Dest does not come back for a ball but Mexico steps up and take it. Headed out by McKennie, then played out of play by Mexico. Pulisic beats three players then had it poked away to recover and get it to Weston, US throw. Wright fouled and cautioned issued, the foul began out of the area. Pulisic into the area gets a Throw in, not a good kick. Liking for Pulisic, he has it go off a defender another throw in. McKennie tripped out of play by Gallado from 25 yards out but near the touchline another try by Pulisic this one far better into the 6, Haji escorts Memo out to the top of the area. Many short passes in tight spaces by Mexico leads to a shot right at Turner. Mexico presses and the US hold then lose it McKennie off his feet, GGG grabs the player away, gets a bit of a push and a talking to by an AR. Do not make contact with the other players, he knows this, although… Weah fouls at the center mark. Dest harassing his opponent and the shot goes wide in the 6. Another poor pass by the US. Reyna tripped up, caution issued. The ball bounces around near the Mexico goal, seen back on goal by Reyna, he points to his chest, not the crest, his shot from just inside the area. Balogun in Wright out, a same for same sub, not getting more defensive for GGG. PK on US as Robinson went high with a kick. not contacting the opponent, a soft call and going to VAR, the player had brought his body down, but no contact. Yellow card for embellishment issued to Gimenez, this is why they have VAR. Robinson into the area but two Mexican players and it is played out. Foul just beyond the area and Mexico has a good chance here. Ream heads it up not out but the shot from beyond the area goes over the goal. A loud chant of the word that is to have an announcement as Turner makes a kick, nothing done about it. As it is called it out again the notice is made as an announcement and post on the jumbo tron, the game is suspended, fans are leaving. Interesting the local HS soccer has no such system, it happened in the playoffs, I made I known at the game nothing in the weeks after as I did no get calls back to get it dealt with. Now the US fans doing their nordic type chant of USA. Both teams setting up subs as Arronsen is on for Pulisic, he passes off the armband to Ream. With Mussah born in NYC on and now the Medford (NJ) Messi it is local night again. Pulsic seems very upbeat on the bench next to Adams. A GK has the chant return, let’s see about it with this upcoming one as well. Now much louder as Turner makes another kick, this needs to be addressed better. Again it is brought to a halt, he players seem frustrated. The process is further explained on the big screen, it is 2-0 in extra time, the fans will do as they will it won’t no really alter the final. The US takes the title with a great win and yes it is Dos a Cero!