Mexico's Bar-Banking Goal and Man-Bra Flash Win the Gold Cup

Not sure if Mexico set out to make a statement in this 85-year-old rivalry that's taken on a bitta new bite recently.

Dudes certainly did, though.

First and foremost, El Tri hoisted the Gold Cup after a deliberately paced 1-0 triumph over the USA where if the Americans had blown one more chance, they'd probably have been brought up on charges.

Secondly, we know crop tops are becoming a thing ...

but dude ...

 

At least you can't go wrong with black.

Still, don't expect a Borat Collection in The Daily Player's Fanorama Store anytime soon.

Jonathan dos Santos got the goal that mattered in this one, so he's entitled to do whatever the hell he damn well pleases.

 

Actually, after watching the Americans punch themselves out in the early going, the entire Mexican team did as they damn well pleased, too:

• They registered 57% possession;
• They outshot the Yanks, 20-10; and
• They put more shots on target, 5-3.

In fact, they also put more patooties in Soldier Field's sold-out seats, offering up chants that may not have gone down well with the man-bra crowd.

 

Not to mention Mexico did all that without their top three forwards, all sitting out with injuries.

The USA had two solid chances to set the tone, with one being foiled when Guillermo Ochoa rose to the occasion by stopping Christian Pulisic at point-blank range:

 

... and two minutes later, when Jozy Altidore coulda used a tuned-up GPS:

 

The most incredible aspect of America's outing was how Pulisic's teammates turned him into a ghost for much of the match.

Mexico wasn't doing anything overly special to mark him. El Tri was simply content to watch their rivals go void in the football sense department and get on with what they wanted to do.

Which they did:

 

Mexico's deliberate play didn't make the highlight reel, but it did make the game.

It also made them 6-1 against the USA in Gold Cup title games under the current format.

 

In this instance, it's six wins in seven games.

Pulisic and Weston McKennie beelined it outta the yard afterward without comment. It was easy to see why Pulisic was upset. McKennie, though, was wearing the captain's armband for the first time; he could use a bitta introspection.

Being real, so could manager Greg Berhalter, and this was only the bloody Gold Cup.

 

Mexico was business like.

The USA wasn't ready.

 

And World Cup 2022 qualifying is right around the corner.