US Soccer Team Beats Mexico, 2-0, Earns Berth in 2006 World Cup
The U.S. Men’s Soccer team has defeated Mexico, two-nothing, to earn a berth in next year’s World Cup in Germany. The U.S. men are the first team from the North, Central American and Caribbean region to book a place in the World Cup.
The match was even through the first 53 minutes, but then Oguchi Onyewu deflected teammate Eddie Lewis’s free kick in front of Mexico’s goal.
Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sanchez sprawled across the goalmouth to try to stop Onyewu and when the shot ricocheted off the goalpost, Steve Ralston was there to head it in. The goal electrified the capacity crowd of 24,365 at Columbus Crew Stadium.
The crowd was on its feet against when Demarcus Beasley added the second goal just five minutes later. U.S. Coach Bruce Arena said the win at home makes up for a two to one loss in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium. “Mexico played the kind of game we thought they’d play. Obviously you can not compare games away from Mexico City. Mexico City is a lopsided advantage for the Mexican team because of the altitude. It makes a completely different game. And we know when we play them anywhere else we can beat them and we proved that tonight,” he said.
Steve Ralston said that even though the winning goal came off a set piece, it was enough to get the U.S. team to the World Cup. “But we talked about all week that set pieces were going to be an important part of the game, and that they were probably going to decide the game. And both of our goals came off those, so. I was in the right place at the right time. I don’t think I was too involved in the game for the time I was in there. But it was a scrappy [difficult] game and we showed a lot of heart and we fought for the entire 90 minutes,” he said.
This is the first time since 1934 that the United States is the first team to qualify for the World Cup from the North, Central American and Caribbean Region.
The U.S. team leads the CONCACAF final round standings with 18 points and three games left to play. Mexico is second with 16, but still needs another point in its last three games to qualify for Germany. Costa Rica is third with 10 points thanks to its three to one win over Panama. Only the top three teams earn automatic berths to the World Cup.
Source: voanews.com
Japan beats Mexico 6-1 in WBC
Jim Allen Daily Yomiuri Sportswriter With its back to the wall, Japan remained alive in the World Baseball Classic with an inspiring 6-1 victory over Mexico at Angel Stadium on Tuesday.
Japan will qualify for a berth in Saturday's semifinals by beating South Korea on Wednesday and not allowing more than six runs in the process.
Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka pointed Pool 1 toward a 1-2 Asian finish by working five scoreless innings and posting Japan's first win in the quarterfinal round. South Korea, the only undefeated team in the 16-nation tournament, is almost assured of
U.S. blanks Mexico, earns World Cup spot
There was no better way for the United States to make the World Cup than with a shutout victory over Mexico.
The Americans are headed to next year's soccer championship in Germany after beating the Mexicans 2-0 Saturday night thanks to goals by Steve Ralston and DaMarcus Beasley five minutes apart in the second half.
"We had one blemish on our record when we lost in Mexico City," coach Bruce Arena said, "and it was nice to get that back, and it was very special to qualify against our archrivals."
U.S. star Landon Donovan said it
The question sounded something like this: "How special would it be if a victory over Mexico clinched a World Cup berth?"
Landon Donovan, a forward for the United States soccer team, broke into a grin. Words were not necessary, but he offered some, anyway.
"It would be the best possible ending to our qualifying," Donovan said.
The response highlighted the magnitude of the United States-Mexico soccer rivalry, which dates to 1934.
On Wednesday night, the United States knocked off Trinidad and Tobago, 1-0, in a World Cup qualifier, and Mexico defeated Costa Rica, 2-0.
Coming off those relatively easy victories, these kings of Concacaf will
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Jared Borgetti is expected to lead the attack when Mexico faces the United States in a World Cup qualifying match.
The Bolton striker was picked by Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe for the match in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 3, the Mexican Soccer Federation said Saturday.
FC Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez was also chosen.
Mexico leads the final round of CONCACAF qualifying with 16 points from six matches, followed by the United States with 15 points. The top three teams in the six-team group qualify for the 2006
Borgetti, Marquez to play for Mexico against United States in World Cup qualifier
Jared Borgetti is expected to lead the attack when Mexico faces the United States in a World Cup qualifying match.
The Bolton striker was picked by Mexico coach Ricardo Lavolpe for the match in Columbus, Ohio, on Sept. 3, the Mexican Soccer Federation said Saturday.
FC Barcelona defender Rafael Marquez was also chosen.
Mexico leads the final round of CONCACAF qualifying with 16 points from six matches, followed by the United States with 15 points. The top three teams in the six-team group qualify for the 2006 World
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- What better way to qualify for the World Cup than by beating Mexico? Or, what better way than by beating the United States?
The archrivals get that opportunity to clinch a spot in Germany 2006 by winning tonight. Even a tie might be enough for both sides, but neither country is thinking about draws in what has become one of soccer's most heated series.
"The reason I know how special this game is, is on Sunday night, a full week before the game, I was already thinking about the game laying in bed," U.S. star Landon Donovan said.
Either side
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Cuauhtémoc Soccer Stadium
Puebla has one professional soccer team, "La Franja". The biggest soccer stadium in the city, "Cuauhtémoc", which seats 45,000, was built in 1968 as a second soccer field for the 1968 Olympic Games. Matches for the 1970 and 1986 World Cups were also played in the Cuauhtémoc Stadium.
Puebla has two professional baseball teams, "Pericos" and "Tigres". Puebla, along with Monterrey, has the best baseball teams in the Mexican League.
Puebla, through the conurbated area of Cholula, has one professional American football team, the "Aztecas" of the Universidad de las Américas. The Aztecas have won the championship three times
Mexico needs draw to secure WC berth
Mexico needs only a draw Wednesday at home against Panama to secure a World Cup berth and perhaps mend its wounded pride after Saturday's 2-0 loss to the United States.
The trip to Germany next year would be Mexico's 13th appearance in the World Cup finals and fourth straight.
Sitting in last place in the six-team final round of CONCACAF qualifiying, Panama would be eliminated with a loss at Azteca Stadium and a victory by either Trinidad and Tobago or Guatemala.
The United States, which qualified for its fifth straight World Cup on Saturday, leads standings in
Mexico beats Hungary in friendly
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The win was the first in seven games against a European team for Mexico since Ricardo La Volpe took over as national coach after the 2002 World Cup.
The exhibition was part of the Mexico's five-game U.S. tour in preparation for the World Cup in Germany next year.
Fonseca scored on a header from about 10 yards out in the 32nd minute. Juan Pablo Rodriguez crossed the ball to Fonseca off a corner kick and
Mexico's La Volpe defends selection
Mexico coach Ricardo La Volpe has defended his decision to include Argentine-born striker Guillermo Franco in the national squad for Saturday's World Cup qualifier at home to Guatemala.
"Most of the strikers who play in Mexico, I would say 80 percent, are foreigners and if one of them is a naturalized Mexican, I don't understand why I can't see what he can do," La Volpe told reporters on Tuesday.
"I've seen the others, now I want to see Guillermo," the former Argentina goalkeeper added. "It doesn't mean he's going to the World Cup."
With two qualifying matches remaining in
