That’s all for now. Check back shortly for a full match report and thanks as always for following along with us.
Updated
Final (AET): USA 2-3 Mexico
A night to remember for Mexico, who twice took deserved leads only to see a persistent US side fight back. That set the stage for Aguilar’s dramatic winner.
Updated
120 min+1: US desperately pushing ahead for an equalizer.
120 min: Fourth official signals for two minutes of stoppage time.
119 min: Mexico burning time in the corner.
GOAL! USA 2-3 Mexico (Aguilar, 118 min)
A wonderfully struck first-time volley by Aguilar and Mexico appear to have won it at the death. What a finish!
Updated
117 min: Dempsey’s shot is dumped into the wall. Rebound falls to Beasley, but his follow-up shot is rendered moot when the flag goes up for offside.
116 min: Bradley runs 20 yards with the ball across midfield and is able to win a free kick on a foul by Herrera at the top of the area dead center. A massive opportunity here for the Americans.
115 min: Mexico attacking up the left side by a hard-working Brad Evans is able to win a goal kick.
113 min: Wood nearly gets another as Bradley tries to find him over the top, but they can’t connect.
111 min: Evans on for Johnson, the Americans’ final sub.
GOAL! USA 2-2 Mexico (Wood, 108 min)
Out of nowhere it’s the young Wood who makes a run onto Yedlin’s ball and slots it home through Munoz’s legs against the run of play. Wow!
Updated
107 min: Corona walking the ball into the area, lots of tired US defenders around him. His right-footed shot goes wide.
106 min: The teams have changed sides after 15 minutes of extra time. The US will need more pressure here if they expect to equalize.
104 min: Mexico has bunkered in. Not much to report as we trickle toward half-time of extra time.
101 min: Looks like Wondolowski will be the final US sub. Americans keeping possession for a change, but haven’t been able to make much progress in the final third.
98 min: Wood on for Altidore. Corona on for Chicharito.
GOAL! USA 1-2 Mexico (Peralta, 96 min)
Bedlam in Pasadena as a ball is played to Aguilar, who gets behind Besler and swings it to Peralta, who smashes it past Guzan. Clinical.
95 min: Yedlin hacked down by Guemez on a counterattack and the youngster is lucky to avoid the referee’s book.
94 min: US counterattack stalls when Altidore can’t find a wide-open Jones and instead gives it away to the opponent.
93 min: Chicharito breaks free of Besler and finds Peralta with a beautifully weighted through ball, but Guzan steps up to make the save. Disaster averted. Corner to Mexico.
91 min: It’s the 66th meeting between the United States and Mexico and only the second time they’ve gone to extra time.
Full-time: USA 1-1 Mexico
Thirty more minutes to come as the US and Mexico remain deadlocked at a goal apiece.
90 min+2: Aguilar played through into the area but his shot is fired wide. Scary moments for the United States.
90 min: Mexico unnervingly keeping possession and probing, probing, probing. Eventually Herrera beats Beckerman in the area and crosses it to the back post but it can’t find a Mexico attacker. Fourth official calls for three minutes of stoppage time.
87 min: A chance for the US as they string a few passes together on the attack but Bradley’s cheeky chip attempt sails wide right. Tonight’s official attendance has been announced: 93,723 on hand.
85 min: A terrible giveaway by Bradley. He then hacks down Chicharito to slow down the Mexico attack and takes the predictable yellow. Herrera standing over the ball as Mexico has a dangerous free-kick attempt.
81 min: A relevant question from Jacob Kountz, via email: “Help me out, would you? If this stays a draw, does it go to extra time, penalties or a 2nd leg?”
Extra time – two 15-minute halves – then penalties if necessary.
80 min: Mexico free kick easily cleared. A tactical critique from Emmanuel Salorio, via email: “What the hell is Jurgen Klinsman thinking trying to play a counterattacking game with what has to be one of the worlds’ slowest teams (though I guess trying to play tiki-taka with a team that can’t string together five passes wouldn’t really be a much better idea).”
79 min: Jones whistled for a foul and Mexico will have a free kick from a dangerous area. Javier Guemez coming on for Guardado.
77 min: Traffic in the area as the US come close to a goal, but they can’t capitalize on the chaos. Bradley fires a shot but it misses the mark. Yedlin comes on for Zardes, the first US sub of the match.
76 min: Jimenez with a shot from 20 yards that skids right of the target. Now the first sub of the match as Mexico’s Arturo Rivas enters for Marquez.
74 min: Jones runs 20 yards with the ball and uncorks a right-footed shot that sails high into the night. The US have looked better over the past five minutes, but have still been outplayed and, crucially, outworked thoroughly to this point.
72 min: The US have numbers on a counter-attack and the ball is played to Dempsey, who tries to take it himself but takes one touch too many and is tackled down in the area. A good no-call by the referee.
70 min: A Guardado shot from outside the area is turned back, but he jumps on the rebound and runs with it into the area before he’s tackled by Cameron at the last juncture. Another corner to Mexico, their fifth of this half.
68 min: Mexico probing. A cross is turned away, but the US can’t get clearance and a second ball is played forward to Chicharito, who is whistled for a handball.
67 min: Bradley’s corner is whipped directly across the mouth of the goal, but Munoz rises to punch it away and strikes his head on something – was it Altidore’s knee? – in the process.
66 min: Sixty-six minutes in and the US win their first corner of the match off when an Altidore shot from outside the area off an American counter-attack caroms off a Mexican player and out. Bradley walks slowly to the spot to take it.
64 min: US finally with a spot of possession here as they’ve kept the ball in the final third for nearly a minute, but they’re dispossessed and Mexico are again on the counter-attack.
62 min: A note from Sammy Lopez Metta Bexar, via email.
Your compatriot on the Spanish version of the live blog mentioned Chicharito seems to have three hearts the way he’s running. Someone might wanna check! Sad USA display so far.
Which reminds us. Our Luis Miguel Echegaray is live blogging tonight’s match en español for the polyglots out there.
61 mins: Jones down after colliding heads with Aguilar in contesting a 50/50 ball.
59 min: Jimenez with a nifty run into the right edge of the area. He swings it over to Chicharito, who is alone with the ball in front of the gaping goal but can’t get a foot on it. That really should have been Mexico’s second. How much longer can the US chase their visitors without paying a price?
57 min: Altidore clipped by Marquez in midfield and the foul is given. US dispossessed almost immediately and Jiminez darts downfield toward the area, where he clatters to the turf on an apparent foul but none is whistled to the horror of the partisan Mexico crowd.
56 min: Mexico win another corner. Dempsey hacked down in the area as it’s played in and the referee whistles a foul against Mexico.
55 min: Ten minutes into the second half and the US have not been able to keep possession for longer than a few seconds. Not good.
53 min: Free kick off the Beckerman foul from 30 yards out is taken by Guardado, but Cameron gets a head on it before it ultimately winds up in the hands of Guzan.
52 min: Beckerman shown yellow for a reckless challenge of Peralta. Easy booking.
51 min: Corner taken by Guardado and it’s a counter-attack for the US, who have a 4 v 3 advantage keyed by Zardes. A wonderfully struck right-footed shot by Altidore challenges Munoz, but the flag immediately shoots up for offside.
50 min: The corner is taken by Herrera. It’s headed out by Besler and Mexico will have another corner from the other side.
49 min: Mexico win a corner. More trouble for the US early.
48 min: More sloppiness from the US in the back allows a half-chance for Mexico. Not the start the Americans hoped for.
46 min: The US kick off to begin the second half and we’re off. A bit of miscommunication from the American back four as an attempted clearance is blocked and Guzan is forced to save a Peralta shot.
The teams are back on the field. The second half should be underway momentarily.
An admin question from Nick Stoll, via email. (I’m excited because I have the answer to this one.)
Excuse my ignorance but why didn’t Mexico automatically qualify for the confed cup when they won the gold cup? And how come the US is in the playoff if they came fourth?
The Gold Cup is held every two years. Previously, only the winner of the Gold Cup closest to the upcoming World Cup automatically qualified for the Confederations Cup. So, for example, Mexico qualified for the 2013 event by winning the 2011 Gold Cup. But to ensure teams didn’t field weaker teams for the “off-cycle” Gold Cup, Concacaf introduced a one-game playoff between the two Gold Cup winners ahead of a Confederations Cup. That’s tonight’s match.
Now, if the same team wins both, there is no playoff. That’s why the US would have automatically qualified by winning the 2015 Gold Cup (having won the 2013 event). But since Mexico won earlier this year, they forced tonight’s one-off.
A note from reader Roberto Alvarez-Galloso, via email.
I condemn the use of lasers against the US Soccer Team by Mexican fans. The supporters must be expelled and Mexico penalized.
Half-time: USA 1-1 Mexico
We’re level at one apiece, a goalless half hour after the teams exchanged early strikes. “What are the chances of both sides finishing with 11 men on the field?” asks Nigel, via email. “Low I think.”
We’re inclined to agree.
45 min: Fourth official signals for one minute of stoppage time.
43 min: The US will have a free kick from a very dangerous spot here as Moreno is shown yellow for a clattering challenge of Altidore right on the corner of the area. Altidore was through on goal otherwise. Bradley steps over the ball. Fires it toward the near post and Munoz lunges to make the save. Besler calls for a foul as he tries to win it back.
40 min: Zardes with a pacy run up the right flank, who crosses into Altidore, who just misses punching it into the net for a second US goal. Goal kick to Mexico.
38 min: An observation from Lawrence Barnes, via email:
Am I the only person who is seeing a green laser being shot at some of the U.S. Players. I saw it multiple times.
No, you’re not alone in making this observation. It’s not the first time Mexico’s fans have been accused of using laser pens to blind the US players.
37 min: Ball is swung into Peralta as Jones and Beasley lose track of him, but Cameron recovers to pressure Peralta and his header goes out, not even close to the target.
34 min: Herrera with a shot from the top of the area but it’s blocked by Beasley. Moments later it’s played through to Chicharito but he’s offside and ... here we go. Words, and then some pushing and shoving, exchanged between Peralta and Guzan. Extracurriculars between both sides as all players sprint over into a mass near the US goal. A yellow card shown to Raul Jimenez for getting involved in the fracas.
32 min: A chance for the US as Bradley’s mazy run through the midfield ends with right-footed shot from the top of the area that just skids wide of the post.
29 min: Aguilar floats a cross from the right side to the far post but it sails out for a goal kick.
28 mins: Teams trading possession in the middle third, not much action to speak for. Altidore whistled for a foul and Mexico will have it on the restart.
26 min: Bradley dispossessed and Mexico quick on the counter-attack, but a very good tackle by Besler to snuff it out.
24 min: Guardado with a mostly speculative left-footed shot from 25 yards, but it’s struck well and forces Guzan to make a diving save.
23 min: Guzan pounces off his line to break up a Mexican threat, then surges outside of the area to clear it with a slide tackle that could have might have been ruled a foul by a stricter referee. The US may have gotten away with one there.
21 min: Aguilar shown yellow for a foul on Jermaine Jones. Neither side keeping possession or able to sustain much of an attacking presence since the second goal.
19 min: Chicharito wins a free kick on a Matt Besler foul roughly 35 yards from goal, but nothing substantial comes of it.
17 min: The US wins a free kick just outside the area but nothing comes of it. Atmosphere seems to have quieted from the bedlam between the goals. Rafa Marquez, who had dropped into a deeper, defensive position after the Mexico goal, is drifting forward again. Tonight he’s surpassed Jorge Campos for fourth most caps in Mexico national team history.
With tonight’s appearance, @RafaMarquezMX passes Jorge Campos for 4th-most caps for the Mexican National Team. pic.twitter.com/hm3yO41B4K
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) October 11, 2015
GOAL! USA 1-1 Mexico (Cameron, 15 min)
Bradley swings in a free kick from the left side and Cameron, conspicuously unmarked, arrives right on time to head it into the back of the goal. His second career national team goal.
Updated
14 min: Beasley hacked down on the left flank and wins a free kick.
12 min: The first second-guess and probably not the last.
@BryanAGraham greetings from texas, watching #USAvMX Just me or did Klinsi choose poorly?
— Sam Lopez MB (@texascubbie) October 11, 2015
Updated
GOAL! USA 0-1 Mexico (Chicharito, 10 min)
Pandemonium at the Rose Bowl as Mexico strikes first! Confusion among the American defense as Peralta breaks free and surges into the right side of the area, swinging it over to Chicharito who slots home the clinical finish for his 42nd international goal – and first ever against the USA.
Updated
8 min: Aguilar seeks out Peralta in the area with a cross but it soars overhead and out for a throw-in. Mexico attacking with pace early but the US weathering the pressure reasonably well.
5 min: Miguel Layun loses track of Jermaine Jones as he surges up the left flank – why Jones playing out so wide I don’t know – but Fabian Johnson closes in just in time to clear it out. Moments later the ball is played into the area where Peralta tries for a volley but misses the ball completely.
4 min: Ball played through to Chicharito, but the flag goes up as he was a few feet offside. Bit of a feeling-out period in the opening round here.
3 min: USA wins the first foul of the match near midfield and plays it back, but are quickly dispossessed.
1 min: And we’re off! The United States attacking from right to left in all-white kits, Mexico from left to right in sleek black home strips. And it’s Mexico on the attack early, but a misplayed through ball goes out for a goal kick.
The teams have emerged from the tunnel. Time for the national anthems here at the Rose Bowl. Himno Nacional Mexicano first, The Star-Spangled Banner second.
Zero booing of the national anthems here at Rose Bowl. As it should be. #USMNT
— Ben Grossman (@grossman) October 11, 2015
Updated
A question of punctuality from Scott Bassett, via email.
Why don’t USA games ever start at their a announced start times? On the national team site, it says 6:30 pacific time. Everywhere else I’ve seen too. Is it a bait and switch in order to force the viewers to watch ads for boner pills and gladiatorial contests? Is this the only country that does it? All the other international matches start on time. Is it the boner pill ads and delayed start times that make us exceptional?
A good question that I’ll leave open to the gallery. For what it’s worth, 6.30pm is a fairer estimate than broadcaster Fox Sports 1, which said it was starting at 6!
Feels like a Mexican majority here in the Rose Bowl. However, not nearly as one-sided as the 2011 Gold Cup final played here, when the United States came from two goals ahead to lose 4-2.
The US team have retreated to the locker room. Nineteen minutes until kickoff.
Is tonight’s match a must-win affair for Klinsmann? Perhaps not. But our Terrance F Ross argues that a loss could have long-term repercussions on US soccer.
(And the under-23 national team’s loss to Honduras earlier today in the semi-finals of the Concacaf qualifying tournament for the Olympics isn’t exactly a morale booster.)
FINAL: U-23 #USMNT 0, HON 2. The USA will play in the 3rd place match on Oct. 13 at 5pm MT against loser of CAN/MEX.
— U.S. Soccer (@ussoccer) October 10, 2015
The USA team has taken the field for pre-match warm-ups. No sign of Mexico yet. Kickoff is just under 45 minutes away.
Hello and welcome to tonight’s play-off between the United States and Mexico. Plenty to discuss given the uncertainty surrounding both sides and the Confederations Cup berth on the line, but for starters here’s a look at tonight’s teams.
United States
XI (4-4-2): Guzan; Johnson, Cameron, Besler, Beasley; Jones, Beckerman, Bradley, Zardes; Dempsey, Altidore
Subs: Yedlin, Evans, Ream, Williams, Wood, Howard, Alvarado, Orozco, Wondolowski, Zusi, Spector, Rimando
Mexico
XI (4-3-3): Muñoz; Aguilar, Reyes, Moreno, Layún; Herrera, Márquez, Guardado; Chicharito, Peralta, Jimenez
Subs: Orozco, Talavera, I. Jimenez, Rivas, Torres Nilo, Aquino, Corona, Dos Santos, Duneas, Esquivel, Guemez, Elias Hernandez, Vela
- Tweet Bryan at @BryanAGraham
- Or email him at bryan.graham@theguardian.com
- USA host Mexico with spot in 2017 Confederations Cup at stake
Bryan will be here shortly. In the meantime why not read Graham Parker’s preview of tonight’s showdown.
Trying to predict how Saturday evening’s clash between USA and Mexico is going to go might be a fool’s errand – if these two teams were more predictable, there’s a fair chance this game wouldn’t be being played in the first place.
Mexico, having won the Gold Cup with several strokes of refereeing fortune along the way, but a strong performance in the final, might well have been a Miguel Herrera punch from stability right now, but instead they go into this game under Ricardo ‘Tuca’ Ferretti, knowing that Juan Carlos Osorio waits in the wings as their 16th coach in as many seasons, and with a variety of ego-driven subplots as additional distractions.
The USA, having crashed out of the same Gold Cup tournament in the semi-finals, are coming into this game after more than a year of seemingly endless experimentation after the World Cup, during which the only discernible narrative was a rash of goals conceded late in games, then a sudden burst of goals late in them, and then the disappointment of a flat Gold Cup, where a win would have rubber-stamped their participation in the 2017 Confederations Cup.
Faced with their own mutual tendencies towards unpredictability, both teams have reverted to some familiar faces to anchor them tonight – Rafa Marquez, on his 12th Mexican coach, will be the key to Mexico’s 5-3-2 working at the Rose Bowl, while Jürgen Klinsmann has gone back to the core of the 2014 World Cup team, with a few notable exceptions, in his bid to make at least one part of an increasingly murky path to the 2018 World Cup knowable.
