CONCACAF Gold Cup
winner is USA beating Mexico at the final 2-1
The USA soccer team is the
Gold Cup champion winning 2-1 over Mexico on Sunday.
A moral-boosting penalty led to one of the best soccer games for
the U.S. team. The two North American teams first played each
other in 1934 in a World Cup qualifier. The United States won
that game 1-0, but had to wait another 46 years to win again.
But since 2000, the United States have won nine and lost only
twice with one draw, Sunday's victory included.
The first half belonged to Mexico as the
team south of the border won the ball possession and scored for
0-1 at the crowded stadium in Chicago. Guardado scored for
Mexico one minute before the normal time of the first half
expired, and the U.S. team went to the locker room with plenty
to think about.
Mexico dictated the game during the
first half, and they continued in the beginning of the second.
The team had quite a few opportunities at the start of the
second half, just to be stopped by the much-improved US defence
and the brilliant performance of the goalkeeper Tim Howard.
But in the 61st minute of the Gold Cup
final, Landon Donovan got an equalizer after U.S. was given a
penalty shot. This goal helped Donovan to become the all-time
top scorer of the USA soccer team. Donovan's goal was all it was
necessary for the Americans to grab the bull by the horns and
from the 61' on - it was all U.S. game.
The goal came as a shock to both Mexico
and their fans at the stadium and it made for a very quiet Gold
Cup final. Attack after attack followed towards Mexico's goal,
the southern team underestimated their opponents and after a
corner for the USA the ball was cleared right on the foot of
Feilhaber and he stretched the Mexican net for 2-1, a minute
before normal time. The final attempts of Mexico to turn the
game around were unsuccessful and the USA team won the 2007 Gold
Cup.
2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup Final:
USA 2-1 Mexico
Goals USA: Donovan 61' (pen.), Feilhaber 89'
Goals Mexico: Guardado 44'
Published on 06/24/2007
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