HOUSTON - Finally, the wheels came off. After a summer riding a wave of inexperienced youngsters with chips aplenty on their shoulders, the U.S. men's national team finally stumbled. Ultimately, the final was one bridge too far.
It didn't start that way. After an early goal from Chris Richards, the USMNT looked like they had the will to contest their heated rivals. Mexico, though, never wavered, erasing that 1-0 deficit to score a goal in each half to seize the Gold Cup with a 2-1 win on Sunday night.
It will sting for the USMNT, no doubt, especially considering how well they started. Richards' fourth-minute goal sent a jolt of energy through NRG Stadium, even with its pro-Mexico crowd, while energizing a youthful U.S. group throughout the first half. In the 27th minute, though, Mexico wrestled momentum back, with Raul Jimenez smashing a shot past a helpless Matt Freese to equalize following some ugly U.S. defending from a throw-in.
The teams traded chances from there but, make no mistake: from that point on, it was Mexico's game to lose. They didn't. Instead, they simply attacked it, with Edson Alvarez just narrowly beating the offside trap in the 77th minute to win the game and, more importantly, the trophy.
El Tri celebrated in Houston on Sunday night, and rightfully so. It was their 10th Gold Cup trophy, more than any other nation - the U.S. is second with seven, in 13 finals. They were, throughout this tournament and on this night, the best team.
"We're disappointed obviously to not come away with a win," U.S. captain Tim Ream said.
Pochettino made it clear postgame: he didn't want to make excuses, but he was upset with the manner in which USMNT lost. The USMNT boss called out the officiating, taking issue with three of the game's defining calls. There was a potential handball on Jorge Sanchez, a questionable onside on Mexico's winning goal and possible foul on Richards leading up to that goal.
None of those calls went the USMNT's way. Suffice it to say Pochettino noticed.
"I am the first to say we need to improve," Pochettino said. "I am not crying. I am not saying anything against Mexico. I respect Mexico, full respect, and I have congratulated them from the beginning. I only say that, if that happened against Mexico, the coach, the people and the players would be talking the same way. For me, there would be a fire in the stadium."
The inexperienced USMNT spent the summer attempting to defy odds, fighting, scrapping and learning lessons all the way to the final. There was no glory at the end, though, and no trophy as they were finally dealt their toughest lesson yet: that the small moments matter and, ultimately, those moments cost the U.S. a trophy.
GOAL rates the USMNT's players from NRG Stadium.