Congrats to the US national soccer team who qualified for the 2006 World Cup in Germany by thumping Mexico 2-0 on Saturday in Columbus, OH. The US qualifies for their 5th consecutive World Cup (one of which they received an automatic bid as hosts) and Bruce Arena, already the winningest national team coach in history, becomes the first US boss to lead the country to two World Cups.
A win against bitter rival Mexico is always sweet but even more so because this win allows the Stars and Stripes also becomes the first team from the CONCACAF region (North and Central America and the Carribbean) to qualify for Germany '06.
Mexican coach Ricardo Lavolpe will surely face renewed pressure after the loss to the hated Americans despite an impressive showing in this summer's Confederations Cup and despite needing only one point in Mexico's last three qualifiers to advance to Germany. He was characteristically whiny in defeat: "The U.S. is a small team," he said, presumably not meaning small in height or weight. "They play like my sister, my aunt and my grandmother."
Hey Ric, if that's true, then it means your team just got outclassed by that side that plays like an old woman!
Lack of grace seems to be a characteristic of Mexican coaches when they lose to the hated USA. Lavolpe's predecessor, Javier Aguirre, offered similarly snivelling comments after losing to the US in the 2002 World Cup. "They didn't want to play, they didn't let us play," he sniffed.
US attacker Landon Donovan said it best: "They do a lot of talking. They haven't beat us in a long time here. I'm kind of sick of it. There's no better scenario than to beat them easily." Mexico hasn't won an away qualifier against the US since 1972.
It may not have been easy, though it wasn't the hardest game the US has ever played (except for winger DaMarcus Beasley who was hacked at least a dozen times by Mexican thugs posing as midfielders; amazingly he avoided injury). Nevertheless, it was still very sweet indeed.
Update: Steve Sirk over at MatchNight offers a colorful commentary on the Red, White and Blue's victory.
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