Tyler Adams scored with a brilliant long-range strike in his first start in more than a year for club or country, Gio Reyna added a second-half goal and the United States beat Mexico 2-0 on Sunday night for their third straight Concacaf Nations League title.
Adams put the US ahead in the 45th minute when he received a pass from Weston McKennie, took a touch and curled a shot that eluded the right hand of diving goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
Reyna added a 63rd-minute goal to follow up his pair of extra-time assists in Thursday’s semi-final win over Jamaica.
The United States stretched their unbeaten streak against Mexico to seven games since a September 2019 defeat. That run includes five victories.
The match was halted twice by Canadian referee Drew Fischer because of homophonic chants among the mostly pro-Mexican crowd of 59,471 at AT&T Stadium. Last year’s Nations League semifinal in Las Vegas was ended about four minutes early because of chants from Mexican fans, who for years have directed a slur at opposing teams’ goalkeepers.
Last year’s Concacaf semi-final was stopped by Salvadoran referee Iván Barton in stoppage time with the US ahead 3-0 due to similar chants. Concacaf issued a statement the next day that it “strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting by some fans,” which it said “has no place in our sport.” The regional governing body did not appear to announce any disciplinary action.
The Mexican Football Federation last month challenged financial penalties totaling 100,000 Swiss francs ($114,000) imposed by Fifa for incidents at two games at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar in which fans used anti-gay slurs. Fifa has repeatedly held the Mexican federation responsible for the homophobic chants, handing out fines and closing stadiums for games after incidents in qualifying matches for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups and for Olympic qualifying.
Troubled by a right hamstring injury that twice required surgery, Adams had not played for the US since the 2022 World Cup before entering in the 63rd minute of Thursday’s game.
He was limited to a single 21-minute club appearance between 11 March 2023, and this past 13 March, when he returned from the injury with a 20-minute stretch for Bournemouth against Luton in the Premier League.
Still on a minutes limit, Adams was replaced by Johnny Cardoso at the start of the second half. Adams also scored in a friendly against Mexico in September 2018.
Reyna, limited to one league start this season for Borussia Dortmund and Nottingham Forest, scored his eighth international goal. Christian Pulisic’s cross was blocked by defender Johan Vásquez. The ball deflected off Haji Wright back to Vásquez, who headed a clearance attempt. Reyna let the ball bounce and beat Ochoa from 16 yards out.
Fischer initially awarded a penalty for a challenge by Antonee Robinson on Santiago Giménez, but following a video review, Fischer called off the foul and gave the forward a yellow card for simulation.
Ochoa, Mexico’s 38-year-old captain, made his 150th international appearance. Seams were visible in the temporary grass strips installed on the field of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
USA coach Gregg Berhalter made five changes from Thursday’s starting lineup in the 3-1 extra-time win against Jamaica, adding right back Sergiño Dest, central defender Tim Ream, midfielders Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna, and forward Haji Wright. They replaced Joe Scally, Miles Robinson, Yunus Musah, Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun.
Jamaica beat Panama 1-0 in the third-place game on Dexter Lembikisa’s 41st-minute goal.
.jpg)
