US vs Mexico Preview

In their second final in as many tournaments, the United States will face off vs Mexico for the second time this year, but with very different players. The first installment was a World Cup Qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, which was won by the US 2-0 through a Michael Bradley brace. This time around Bradley and the rest of the players that won that match, save for Heath Pearce and Brian Ching, aren't here. For most of these players it will be the first time experiencing the rivalry that is USA-Mexico. The players must be mentally prepared more than anything, playing in Giants stadium which seats 82,000, has sold out, and the majority of the fans will be against the US. The team Mexico has brought is young and inexperienced for the most part as well, but will offer the US team it's stiffest test yet in the Gold Cup. Mexico has brought Arsenal youngster Carlos Vela and from Tottenham comes Giovanni dos Santos, two players who have had very different tournaments, Vela suffered a knee injury in Mexico's first match and missed some time, but dos Santos has made the most out of his opportunity during Mexico's run to the final. US defenders Chad Marshall and Clarence Goodsen (or Parkhurst, or Conrad if available) will be pushed to their limits by Vela, and Pearce and Heaps will have their hands full with dos Santos. As far as a starting 11 goes, the picture says it all. I wouldn't change anything from the 2-0 win over Honduras:

------------------Perkins

Heaps-----Goodsen-----Marshall-----Pearce

-----------Pause-------Beckerman

Holden--------------------------------Rogers

------------Arnaud-----Ching

Keys on the field for the US will be Holden, Beckerman, Marshall, and Ching. If those four players have good games the US can win, and if they play well it will give guys like Goodsen, Pause, Rogers, and Arnaud a chance to enforce their will. Another Dos a Cero will cement the US's dominance of CONCACAF and will set up a HUGE showdown on August 12 at the Azteca in Mexico City.