We got the "dream" final match everyone has hoping for, and boy did it live up to the expectations. Almost 100,000 fans at the Rose Bowl, most of them cheering for the Mexican team, showed up on a beautiful summer afternoon in Pasadena, Calif.
Both teams got here pretty evenly matched although coming from different paths. The United States, coming off a mediocre group stage and much better showings against Jamaica and Panama, seemed to be finding its rhythm.
With Landon Donovan coming off the bench and Freddy Adu finally showing up, the team seemed ready to take on the favorite.
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After the Mexican team pummeled its first three rivals during group competition, they had a hard time with lowest ranked Guatemala and needed extra minutes to dispatch a gritty Honduras team.
Overall, it seemed like a dead even match. Mexico's superior speed and technique dominated the entire match. But two critical mistakes gave the US a 2-0 early lead.
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Both teams suffered defense injuries early, which definitely changed the course of the match. Earlier versions of the Mexican team would have never come back down by two. But this team had the guts to come back before halftime which was key.
The U.S. defense could not hold the fort any longer and it was a matter of time for the 3-2 to come.
And then the cherry on top: Giovani dos Santos masterful 4th goal. Match sentenced.
