The United States men's national team are set to play their most challenging World Cup qualifier of this cycle Thursday night when they visit Mexico and the ...
Berhalter knows that his towering centerbacks can be the difference here in attack, and he would be wise to instruct his team to try and earn those fouls time and time again. Mexico will be aggressive, as usual, and the opportunities will be there without a doubt. McKennie is a threat in attack, a defensive menace and has the quality to get the ball moving in the middle, so not having him must be addressed. As a result, don't be shocked to see several instances of the U.S. deliberately just trying to draw fouls but putting their back to a defender and going down rather easily. Having a bit more cover in the middle, with somebody who can work closely with Adams to defend and get the ball forward quickly is vital. Slowing down the pace with tactical fouls worked well for both Canada and Costa Rica against Mexico, and the U.S. would be wise to follow that game plan.
Join us for live U.S. versus Mexico World Cup qualifier updates, a high-stakes rivalry match being played Thursday night at Estadio Azteca.
Both countries, along with Canada, are expected to get automatic berths in the 2026 tournament since they’re hosting it, precluding a qualifying tournament. “I remember walking out in the tunnel and Kellyn Acosta was doubled over puking. U. S., Mexico soccer to play World Cup qualifier at Azteca, possibly for last time
Captain Christian Pulisic and USMNT hopes to change history Thursday night when they head to Estadio Azteca. By Joseph Michalitsianos • Published 2 mins ago.
Ex-USMNT striker and American soccer legend Landon Donovan was the face of the game for a long time, partly because of his decision to urinate in some bushes near the Estadio Jalisco before a game in 2004. The U. S. has had a historically hard time getting results when traveling to Mexico’s national stadium. Since then, the matchup has been filled with games and incidents that have defined it as one of the fiercest rivalries in international soccer.
The bitter sting of a missed World Cup shadows a young team nearing the end of its qualifying road. Three games will decide its fate.
A big game, they might say, is in fact just another game. Looking ahead at a stretch of daunting contests is futile; better to go one day at a time. MEXICO CITY — There is a tendency among professional athletes and coaches, when faced with the hype of high-stakes competition, to undersell the sense of occasion.
The three final World Cup qualifiers begin Thursday night when the U.S. men's national soccer team takes on Mexico. The Americans will know within a week ...
That said, the USMNT has managed to scratch out a point from each of its last two World Cup qualifiers in Mexico City. And Azteca hasn’t been quite so fearsome of late. The altitude, smog and raucous crowd make Azteca a tough place for anyone to play, and the USMNT has never won a World Cup qualifier there. The USMNT has Gio Reyna back for the first time since he injured his hamstring against El Salvador in September. Reyna will be on limited minutes throughout the window, but is a threat anytime he’s on the field. FIFA made Mexico play its last two qualifiers without fans as punishment for El Tri supporters’ persistent use of a homophobic slur. In fact, the Americans have just one win ever there, a friendly back in 2012. “We know it’s not going to be easy. “I think it’s a mindset now,” said Christian Pulisic, one of the few holdovers from the last World Cup cycle. Starting right back Sergiño Dest and Matt Turner, who has been battling Zack Steffen to be the No. 1 goalkeeper, are also out. “Our record here is horrendous,” Berhalter acknowledged. And the news isn’t all bad. Forward Brenden Aaronson, the only player to play in all 11 qualifiers, was a late scratch with a knee injury. And that’s what it’s going to take this window.”
These games will always be important when it comes to bragging rights, but it's also clear that there won't be another night quite like this.
That the U. S. will have to play without the injured quartet of Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest, Matt Turner and Brenden Aaronson makes it a massive task indeed. U.S. manager Gregg Berhalter even went so far as to say the U.S. team's record at the Azteca is "horrendous." "I'll probably not eat or drink after 11 a.m. tomorrow," added Stephanie Casiano, who works for a health care provider in San Antonio. "It's going to be like, all the nerves. Yet for El Tri, pessimism rules the day, in no small part due to the three-game losing streak it is currently suffering against the U. S. The day before the game, sports newspaper CANCHA put Christian Pulisic and Ricardo Pepi front and center (and over Mexico players) with a "They Have An Advantage On Us" caption. In short: Due to a variety of different complaints about how Mexican soccer is governed and run, fans have made online threats about the usage of the anti-gay chant in the game against the United States, which could then potentially hurt the Mexican Football Federation (FMF). Mexico is probably the more desperate side, and the U. S. team's home match against Panama on Sunday is more important in the overall picture of qualification. While such thoughts focus on the future, it is the present that concerns the U. S., and the stakes surrounding Thursday's encounter are high indeed. The neuroses of both teams are also in full bloom. Up to now, the World Cup qualifiers between the two neighbors have been the first fans have looked for when the fixtures are released. By the time the 2030 qualifiers beckon, the World Cup will have expanded to 48 teams, which could result in the number of automatic qualifying spots from CONCACAF being doubled to six. From afar, it looks like a hulking birthday cake was plopped down in the Santa Ursula neighborhood of Mexico City. As you get closer, the concrete supports look like the collective arms of Mexico supporters, pushing up on the venue's rim and out of the ground. In many ways, it feels like the end of an era.
El Tri host the United States at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City tonight. It's a venue where the USMNT has never won a match. The stakes couldn't be higher given ...
The USMNT have beaten Mexico an unprecedented three times in a row. A win would put either team on the cusp of World Cup qualification with just two Matchdays to go. It’s a venue where the USMNT has never won a match.