Mexico 2 - USA 1

Pitch Itchy cut out of work a little bit early to catch the WCQ today. Is he disappointed? Not really. Yeah I wish the US had got a better result but it was a pretty good game and they are still in good position. Here are some quick thoughts:

1. The US came out super sharp. Even before Davies scored they looked very good. A 1-2 up the left flank in the early minutes looked very dangerous and when the goal came I was not surprised at all.

2. Getting on the board that early in a game like that (rivalry, at Azteca, etc) can sometimes be a mixed blessing. Though the guys on the pitch are professionals in every sense of the word and belong on the national team there is the natural divergence of instinct. On the one hand you are already winning, don't do anything stupid. On the other hand if you sit back you are giving a dangerous enemy a lot of room to work with for 75 minutes. I saw a little bit of the latter during the rest of the first half.

3. At certain moments some of Mexico's skill players looked to be too much for the American defense. Not too bad, but there were some moments when our guys got owned and Howard bailed them out. And one where he didn't.

4. This could be 3a. Some of the very fine minor mental details escaped some American players. When to pick up a man, that kind of thing. I think Mexico played better on the field but not by much. It was in the details they won the match.

5. The altitude seemed to be a factor. At most other stadiums Landon Donovan doesn't get burned like that up the wing to set up the second Mexican goal. BUT... that is not an excuse. Mexico City didn't gain altitude over night. Everyone knows about it and it is up to the visiting team to prepare. Every other team in CONCACAF has the same task when they come to town. And teams in CONMEBOL have the infinitely more difficult challenge of playing in La Paz.

6. Some of the Mexican fans were terrible. The torrent of soda bottles and other garbage that rained down on Donovan as he tried to take the corner was disgusting. There were similar incidents against Costa Rica in the Gold Cup semi-final in Chicago last month. I was at the final at Giants Stadium and found the Mexican fan base to be very well behaved but those are two embarrassing episodes less than a month apart. CONCACAF should warn and possibly discipline sides whose fans' behavior interferes with players during the match.