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Americans finally give Mexico competition
MEXICO CITY (AP) -- In the old days, it was simple: The United States could push Mexico around in the economic arena. Mexico could get its revenge on the soccer field.While the first may still be true, the second is less of a given.
Over the past decade, the U.S. soccer team has become a real force -- and the Mexicans are delighted. They have found in the Americans something they never had in regional soccer: A rival.
"Our rival is now the United States," said Mexico coach Bora Milutinovic, the coach of the Americans from 1991-94. "It's because of the proximity, because of the importance of the country and because their team has become much better."
The Americans are happy as well.
"It's a very healthy rivalry," U.S. goalkeeper Brad Friedel said. "I love playing against Mexico and I think Mexico loves playing against us. It's like if USC is playing UCLA in football. It's always a big game."
Mexico (4-0-3) has 15 points and needs one more to become the first of the three World Cup qualifiers from soccer's North and Central American and Caribbean region.
Jamaica (3-2-3) is second in the six-team finals with 12 points and the United States (2-1-4) is third with 10, one ahead of El Salvador (2-3-3), two ahead of Costa Rica (2-4-2) and four ahead of Canada (1-4-3).
Mexico is 17-0 against the United States in Mexico City and has never lost a World Cup qualifier at home.
"We're neighbors, you know?" U.S. forward Joe-Max Moore said. "There are two bullies on the block, and eventually they're going to fight. Both teams respect each other and have a lot to prove come game time."
Although the Americans' record against Mexico is 7-29-10, the United States beat Mexico 4-0 at Washington in 1995 and tied 2-2 in April in a qualifier at Foxboro, Mass.
"The rivalry has developed because in past years it was easy to beat the United States, and now it isn't that easy," said Carlos Perez, a 31-year-old accountant and soccer fan who used to play for the Mexican team Pumas. "Their level of play has risen up a lot."
Part of the rivalry is accidental: Milutinovic, the Serbian-born coach who is known universally as Bora, was the U.S. coach during the 1994 World Cup. Steve Sampson, the current U.S. coach, was his assistant.
"Over the past four or five years it's been an incredible rivalry," Sampson said. "And it will continue to be, because both Mexico and the United States want to be world champions some day."
In an interview in his hotel room littered with duffel bags and wrinkled jogging suits, Bora said he doesn't discuss specifics about his opponents. But he sai soccer in the United States has been improving since he arrived there in 1991.
"Naturally, the United States is a great country in almost all sports," he said. "And in soccer, they have overcome a lot."
Because of his emotional investment in the team, it is difficult for Bora to face the Americans.
"It's a special challenge," he said. "But our mood is super. We're all doing really well."
The Mexican team has been training in Mexico City all week, and the United States arrived Friday after training since Oct. 16 in Big Bear Lake, Calif. The lake is 6,744 feet above sea level, close to Mexico City's 7,200-foot altitude.
"We shouldn't be too shocked by the elements in Mexico City," Moore said.
Not qualifying for the World Cup would be a major blow to U.S. soccer, which is trying to solidify Major League Soccer, its two-season-old league. And that need to win will be an advantage for the Americans.
"It will be tough," Mexico goalkeeper Jorge Campos said. "But we're at home, and we have to win."
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GROUP B: Austria, Cameroon, Chile, Italy
GROUP C: Denmark, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa
GROUP D: Bulgaria, Nigeria, Paraguay, Spain
GROUP E: Belgium, Holland, Mexico, South Korea
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GROUP G: Colombia, England, Romania, Tunisia
GROUP H: Argentina, Croatia, Jamaica, Japan