Mexico is still the king of Concacaf. El Tri beat the United States men’s national team 1-0 in the 2019 Gold Cup final at a sold-out Soldier Field.
Jonathan dos Santos converted on a layoff from Raúl Jiménez to score the game’s only goal in the 73rd minute.
It was Mexico’s eighth Gold Cup, the most of any country. The United States has six titles. Mexico has won four of the past six Gold Cups.
Dos Santos had the first chance of the match for Mexico with a shot that Zack Steffen comfortably saved in the opening minute.
Then the Americans had good looks from Christian Pulisic and Jozy Altidore inside the first 10 minutes. Pulisic’s effort was saved, while Altidore missed wide.
“The 2019 Gold Cup final was an intense game,” Altidore said. “I thought both teams got after it in the beginning. I thought we played well in the first half, especially putting pressure on them. We just couldn’t put our chances away tonight. We had some good chances. We had some good run of play, but it just didn’t fall for us.”
Mexico established control in midfield throughout the first half but couldn’t significantly pressure Steffen.
In the second half, the U.S. had the first big chance. Jordan Morris was free for a header off a Christian Pulisic corner in the 51st minute. Morris’ header was blocked off the line by Andres Guardado.
After that, it was all Mexico before Dos Santos finally got the breakthrough. Mexico had 58 percent possession in the match and 63 percent in the second half.
Second Half Of The 2019 Gold Cup Final
“At the beginning of the second half of the 2019 Gold Cup final, Mexico made a few adjustments,” US midfielder Michael Bradley said. “We dropped deeper and couldn’t find the first pass to get out in certain moments. Then, you get a little tired, and they start gaining momentum. Then, finally, it culminates with them getting the goal.”
The Gold Cup marked the first competitive match since the USA was knocked out of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup. The U.S. didn’t get a significant breakthrough in coach Gregg Berhalter’s first competitive matches in charge but did look at the new squad against the premier team in Concacaf.
Berhalter noted the young team made growth throughout the month-long tournament. Still, it wasn’t enough to knock off Mexico.
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“We’re close, but we weren’t there tonight,” Berhalter said. “We need to score a goal in the first half. We need to put more pressure on them to keep creating those chances. As the match went on, they gained control of it and got the winning goal.”
He noted the difference was the Americans’ calmness and composure. It was the first competitive USA-Mexico game for six American starters. The Soldier Field crowd was predominantly Mexican fans.
“We knew it was going to be a big event,” Berhalter said. “We knew it was going to be a semi-hostile crowd, and I think what I’d say is the calmness is what we lacked. Mexico certainly had it. They played well, particularly in the second half. Overall, I’m proud of the guys. I’m proud of the development this month.”
Jiménez won the award for best player in the 2019 Gold Cup tournament. Guillermo Ochoa won the best goalkeeper.
2019 Gold Cup Final Match Facts
Mexico 1 United States 0
Date: 07/07/2019
2019 Gold Cup Final Attendance: 62,493 at Soldier Field
Man Of The Match: Jonathan dos Santos
Mexico Starting Team: Guillermo Ochoa, Luis Rodríguez, Carlos Salcedo, Héctor Moreno, Jesús Gallardo, Jonathan dos Santos, Edson Álvarez, Andrés Guardado (Diego Reyes 89′), Uriel Antuna (Roberto Alvarado 86′), Raúl Jiménez, Rodolfo Pizarro (Carlos Rodríguez 81′)
Mexico Coach: Gerardo Martino
USA Starting Team: Zack Steffen, Reggie Cannon, Matt Miazga, Aaron Long, Tim Ream (Daniel Lovitz 83′), Weston McKennie, Christian Pulisic, Michael Bradley, Jordan Morris (Cristian Roldan 61′), Jozy Altidore (Gyasi Zardes 64′), Paul Arriola
USA Coach: Gregg Berhalter
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Previous Matches Between México and USA
- 1991 (Semifinal): USA 2-0 MEX, goals from John Doyle & Peter Vermes, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Ángeles, CA, USA).
- 1993 (Final): MEX 4-0 USA, goals from Ignacio Ambriz, Desmond Armstrong -OG-, Luis Alves, & Guillermo Cantú, at Estadio Azteca (Ciudad de MEX).
- 1998 (Final): USA 0-1 MEX, goal from Luis Hernández, at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (Los Angeles, CA, USA).
- 2007 (Final): USA 2-1 MEX, goals from Landon Donovan (pen.) & Benny Feilhaber; Andrés Guardado, at Soldier Field (Chicago, IL, USA).
- 2009 (Final): USA 0-5 MEX, goles from Gerardo Torrado (pen.), Giovani Dos Santos, Carlos Vela, José Castro, & Guillermo Franco, at Giants Stadium (East Rutherford, NJ, USA).
- 2011 (Final): USA 2-4 MEX, goals from Michael Bradley & Landon Donovan; Pablo Barrera x2, Andrés Guardado, & Giovani Dos Santos, at The Rose Bowl (Pasadena, CA, USA).
México qualified for the 2019 Final with a record of: MP-5 W-4 D-1 GF-15 GC-4.
Goal Scorers : Raúl Jiménez (5), Uriel Antuna (4), Andrés Guardado (2), Fernando Navarro, Diego Reyes, Roberto Alvarado, Alexis Vega (1).
Results For México Towards The 2019 Gold Cup Final:
- 7-0 vs. CUBA (Uriel Antuna 2’, 44’, 80’, Raúl Jiménez 31’, 64’, Diego Reyes 38’, Alexis Vega 74’),
- 3-1 vs.CANADA (Roberto Alvarado 40’, Andrés Guardado 54’, 77’; Lucas Cavallini 75’),
- 3-2 vs. MARTINIQUE(Uriel Antuna 29’, Raúl Jiménez 61’, Fernando Navarro 72’; Kevin Parsemain 56’, Jordi Delem 84’),
- Quarter Final: 1-1 (5-4) vs. COSTA RICA (QF) (Raúl Jiménez 44’; Bryan Ruiz 52’),
- Semi Final: 1-0 (AET) vs. HAITI (SF) (Raúl Jiménez 93’).
Results For USA Towards The 2019 Gold Cup Final
- 4-0 vs. GUYUNA (Paul Arriola 28’, Tyler Boyd 51’, 81’, Gyasi Zardes 55’)
- 6-0 vs. TRINIDAD (Aaron Long 41’, 90’, Gyasi Zardes 66’, 69’, Christian Pulisic 73’, Paul Arriola 78’)
- 1-0 v. PANAMA (Jozy Altidore 66’)
- Quarter Final: 1-0 v. CURACAO (QF) (Weston McKennie 25′)
- Semi-Final: 3-1 vs. JAMAICA (SF) (Weston McKennie 9′, Christian Pulisic 52′, 87′).
Gold Cup Facts
- This is match number 327 in the history of the Gold Cup.
- Record of México in Gold Cup: 72 Matches Played: 52 Wins – 11 Draws – 9 Loss (170 Goals For -45 Goals Conceded)
- Record of USA in Gold Cup: 78 Matches Played: 61 Wins – 9 Draws – 8 Loss (162 Goals For – 54 Goals Conceded)
- México and the USMNT are playing for the 7th time in the Gold Cup: 1991, 1993, 1998, 2007, 2009, and 2011: 4 wins for México (15 goals scored in 6 matches) and two wins for the USA (6 goals scored in 6 matches).
- Raúl Jiménez (MEX) is the leading scorer on the team (5 goals) at Gold Cup 2019.
- He is also the player with the most situations on goal (32) and the most fouls received (12).
- México is playing in its 9th Gold Cup Final. (7 Championships): 1993 (vs. USA), 1996 (vs. BRAZIL), 1998 (vs. USA), 2003 (vs. BRAZIL), 2009 (vs. USA), 2011 (vs. USA) & 2015 (vs. JAMAICA). Runners-Up: 2007 (vs. USA).
- The USA is playing in its 11th Gold Cup Final. (6 Championships): 1991 (vs. HONDURAS), 2002 (vs. COSTA RICA ), 2005 (vs. PANAMA), 2007 (vs. MEXICO), 2013 (vs. PANAMA), & 2017 (vs. JAMAICA). Runners-Up (4) (every time vs. MEXICO): 1993, 1998, 2009, 2011.
- México has played in 8 Gold Cup Finals (7 Wins – 1 Loss / 21 Goals Scored – 5 Goals Conceded). In five of these, MEXICO did not concede a goal.
- The only loss was 2-1 vs. USA in 2007 (Andrés Guardado; Landon Donovan, Benny Feilhaber). MEXICO has played one extra time in a GC
- Final (Golden Goal from Daniel Osorno vs. Brasil at Estadio Azteca in 2003) and never has Mexico gone to penalty kicks in a Gold Cup Final.
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- The USA has played 10 Gold Cup Finals (4 Wins – 2 Draws – 4 Loss / 9 Goals Scored – 16 Goals Conceded). In four of these, the USA did not concede a goal. Two of these have gone to penalties: victories in games ending 0-0 AET (4-3 vs. Honduras in 1991, & 3-1 vs. Panamá in 2005).
- In 14 Gold Cup Finals, there have been 34 goals. Of these goals, three were scored with the head, three on penalties, three on free-kicks, and one own-goal.
- Of the goals scored in Gold Cup Finals, 12 have been in the 1st half, and 21 have been in the 2nd half. Daniel Osorno (MEX) scored the only Gold Cup Final goal in extra-time (Golden Goal) vs. Brasil in 2003 (1-0).
- The fastest goal in a Gold Cup Final was scored by Michael Bradley (USA) on a header vs. México in 2011 (9′), and the latest goal ever scored in a Gold Cup Final (not including extra-time) was scored by Guillermo Franco (MEX) v. USA in 2009 (90′).
- Luis Hernández (MEX) vs. USA in 1998, Jason de Vos (CAN) vs. COL in 2000, & Michael Bradley (USA) vs. MEX in 2011 are the only players to score headed goals in a Final of the Gold Cup.
- Ignacio Ambriz (MEX) vs. USA in 1993, Jeff Agoos (USA) vs. CRC in 2002, & Jozy Altidore (USA) vs. JAM in 2017 are the only players to score with free-kicks in a Final of the Gold Cup.
- Carlo Michele Corazzin (CAN) vs. COL in 2000, Landon Donovan (USA) vs. MEX in 2007, & Gerardo Torrado (MEX) vs. USA in 2009 are the only players to score with a penalty kick in a Final of the Gold Cup.
- The only own-goal ever scored in a Gold Cup Final was by Desmond Armstrong (USA) in a 4-0 loss to México in 1993.
