Déjà Vu, All Over Again
Haven't we been here before? World Cup qualifier. Check. Columbus, Ohio. Yep. February. Of course. Back in 2001, the Red, White, and Blue waltzed out of the Buckeye State with a decisive 2-0 victory against el Tri. With the Mexican side reeling from injuries, suspensions, and general poor play, all signs point to another American win.
But, of course, there's a reason they play the matches. In fact, this is a potentially dangerous fixture for Bob Bradley's squad, which, by most accounts, needs to come away with three points from this game. The pressure is entirely on the shoulders of the favored U.S. How the team responds to the pressure of being the big dogs could reveal a great deal about its chances to make an impact on the world stage.
Playing for More than Points
El Tri are shorthanded. They will be without regular contributors Carlos Vela, Fernando Arce, and Gerardo Torrado, all out due to suspension, as well as Andres Guardado and Jonny Magallon, who are sidelined with injuries. The side, which struggled to even qualify for the Hexagonal round, appears to have its back to the wall. After a humiliating 1-0 loss to Sweden in a friendly last week and the recent firing of fan-favorite Javier Aguirre from Atletico Madrid, the ax appears ready to swing at manager Sven-Göran Eriksson’s neck.
The rabid Mexican fanbase, which expects goals, wins, and aesthetically pleasing football, smells blood, and if el Tri fail to ear a result against their biggest rivals in CONCACAF, Eriksson could be shipped back to Scandinavia faster than you can say “Adios, amigo!”
Beware a Wounded Animal
So Mexico are the decided underdog on Wednesday. They are missing several starters, they are being savaged by their fans and their home media, and they haven’t won in the U.S. since 1999. In short, the conditions seem ripe for them to pull off something special.
If you look at it from another perspective, the Mexicans have nothing to lose in Columbus, which makes them very dangerous. Odds are they will play for the draw, which, in this case, would be as good as a win. The weather prediction for Wednesday is for rain in the morning and mid-50s all day, which would make the field at Crew Stadium messy and slow -- a major departure from the fast pitch US coach Bob Bradley predicted in his conference call on Monday. The soggy turf will only aid Eriksson’s side, should they, as expected, decide to bunker down and go for the tie.
Well Begun Is Half Done
With its next two matches coming in El Salvador and home to Trinidad and Tobago, the U.S. is in prime position to secure nine points from its first three games. This figure would allow the Americans experiment more during the next seven Hexagonal fixtures.
The U.S. staring on Wednesday night will not be the same that takes the field in South Africa. At least let's hope not. But the match will give Bradley much-needed information about certain players under stressful conditions: Is Landon Donovan or Clint Dempsey the answer on the right flank? Can Sacha Kljestan be the consistent creative attacker in the middle the side needs? Can the youngsters like Jozy Altidore and Charlie Davies integrate and improve the lineup?
Just Call Them the Cavaliers
Two hours up I-71, the Cleveland Cavaliers have been the most dominant team in the NBA, losing only one game this season. The U.S. soccer team, however, puts this record to shame, having not lost to a regional opponent on American soil since September 1, 2001, a span of 50 matches. The team has been even better of late, posting a combined 11-0-2 mark in 2007 and 2008, outscoring its opponents 36 to six during the stretch.
Does the Result Really Matter?
Ultimately, with this game -- usually a decider in the final round of qualifying -- coming on the first matchday of the Hexagonal, the result won’t have the same impact as it normally would. A loss might cost Eriksson his job, but with nine games left in the Hex, Mexico would have plenty of time to right the ship. For the U.S., the same holds true.
But the mental advantage always plays a role when it comes to U.S.-Mexico. Whichever walks away with its desired result -- win for the U.S., draw for Mexico -- will have a leg up from here on out.
Projected U.S. Lineup
-------------------- Howard ------------------
Hedjuk -- Onyewu-- Bocanegra -- Pearce
---------- Kljestan ---------- Bradley -------
Dempsey ------- Donovan -------- Beasley
------------------- Ching ---------------------
Projected Mexico Lineup
---------------- Sanchez -------------------
Osorio -- Galindo -- Marquez -- Salcido
---- Naelson -- Pardo -- Perez -- Augosto ----
----------- Vuoso -- Castillo -------------
Goal.com prediction: United States 2-0 Mexico.
Noah Davis covers the Untied States National Team for Goal.com.
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