But after the Americans were whistled for a controversial 57th-minute penalty kick, the confidence was gone, the floodgates opened and Mexico went on to crush the U.S. 5-0 to claim its fifth Gold Cup title.
Giovani Dos Santos received the ball in the penalty area with his back to U.S. defender Jay Heaps. Dos Santos tried to turn with the ball toward the goal, but appeared to elbow Heaps in the jaw. As Heaps fell, so did Dos Santos, and referee Courtney Campbell immediately pointed to the spot.
"That's soccer," Dos Santos told The Associated Press. "Afterward, you must still do your job."
And the Mexican side did. Captain Gerardo Torrado slammed home the PK, and Mexico was off and running.
Dos Santos scored off a rebound following a skirmish in front of the U.S. goal in the 64th minute and Carlos Vela added a third for Mexico — off a pass from Dos Santos — six minutes later. Israel Castro (79th minute) and Guillermo Franco (90th) completed Mexico's big day.
"When a goal is scored, there's always a change in the game, and we didn't respond well," U.S. coach Bob Bradley said of the worst American home loss since 1985.
After a surprising second-place finish at last month's Confederations Cup in South Africa and a series of more important 2010 World Cup qualifiers on the horizon, Bradley called in a group of untested, less experienced players for this tournament. The American "B" team, however, played solidly in reaching the tourney final.
Until Mexico ran over them Sunday at the Meadowlands.
"We have to learn from this," said U.S. midfielder Stuart Holden, "and use it in the future."
The U.S. will get a chance for revenge in the not too distant future. The Americans will travel to Mexico City for an important CONCACAF World Cup qualifier on Aug. 12.
