All you need to know about the USA-Mexico 2021 Gold Cup Final

The Gold Cup final is today! The 2021 tournament has been a fast-paced one stretching across the month of July. Now as the calendar turns to August, it’s time for the final! The 2021 Gold Cup final features the two nations we all wanted to see in the final. It’s USA vs Mexico to determine who will lift the Gold Cup Sunday night!

2021 Gold Cup Final
Mandatory Credit: Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire

2021 Gold Cup Final

USA has had a perfect run through this Gold Cup on paper. They’ve won three group stage matches and won their quarterfinal and semifinal. The USMNT has only conceded one goal all tournament, and now it all comes down to playing their arch-rivals without their top roster. Things are a bit similar for Mexico.

Mexico has been the favorite in this tournament before a ball was even kicked. They had one hiccup in the group stage drawing Trinidad and Tobago. They’ve won all of their other four matches. This side has scored nine goals and let in one and has more of a complete roster at this Gold Cup than their finals opposition.

Who will come out on top of the seventh meeting of these two nations in the Gold Cup Final?

For the seventh time USA meets Mexico in the Gold Cup Final

Tonight’s match will be the seventh meeting between Mexico and the USMNT. Of the six previous matches, Mexico has won five of them. The lone USA victory came in 2007 when Benny Feilhaber hit a perfect volley to score the match’s decisive goal. Here’s a look at the history of this matchup:

  • 1993 | Mexico 4 – USA 0
  • 1998 | Mexico 1 – USA 0
  • 2007 | USA 2 – Mexico 1
  • 2009 | Mexico 5 – USA 0
  • 2011 | Mexico 4 – USA 2
  • 2019 | Mexico 1 – USA 0

Mexico has dominated this tournament and this rivalry in the Gold Cup. El Tri has won five of their eight Gold Cups over the USA. Their only Gold Cup Final loss was to the USA back in 2007. Can they assert their dominance again in this edition in 2021? The USMNT has the second most Gold Cup’s winning six. USA has been to the most Gold Cup Final’s but their record is subpar as they have lost five. This current USA side will have their hands full for sure going up against Mexico in the 2021 Gold Cup Final.

Can USA’s “B-Team” beat the favorites Mexico?

As the USA is in Las Vages ready to take on mighty Mexico, there are some major questions being asked. Ahead of this tournament, USA coach Gregg Berhalter spoke a lot about player development for the upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. The roster for this Gold Cup reflects that, as this team is essentially a “B-Team.” The top USA players all played in the Nations League in June, and the players in this tournament are the players on the fringes of making that top team. Despite the roster not having the top players, this team has still made a run to the 2021 Gold Cup Final.

This tournament may have been all about developing and assessing players for the USMNT, but now they have the opportunity to play for a final against their biggest rivals who have brought most of their top roster to this tournament. Can this USA “B-Team” beat Mexico? They sure will try. If they can it will be an outstanding achievement that will have the whole player pool riding a high into World Cup Qualifying next month. If they don’t win, it’s still okay as the whole point of bringing in this roster was to expand the player pool.

The opponent, Mexico will be out for blood in this final as they look to end this USA high.

Mexico looks for revenge for Nations League defeat

Mexico has history on its side in this tournament. They are the favorites still to win the tournament, and it could be crucial for the psyche if they won this match. Mexico has had the pressure on them since their loss to the USA in the first-ever Concacaf Nations League Final. Head coach Tata Martino could likely be fired if his side doesn’t win this Gold Cup Final. Mexico has probably been the best defensive team in the entire tournament, and they’ll have to lean into that side of their game if they want to beat the USMNT in the 2021 Gold Cup Final. Mexico only allowed one goal to get past them in this Gold Cup, and that was in their semifinal match against Canada.

El Tri is a very organized team defensively that likes to take the ball away from their opposition and keep it. Once they have the ball they don’t look to just pass it around, they go for the kill. Mexico’s play has always been centered around a directness that has translated to success in Concacaf and on the world’s stage. They have almost their full top roster here at this Gold Cup. Only a few top players are missing, as they are over in Tokyo making a run for a Gold Medal in the Olympics.

This Mexico side should beat this USA team, but anything can happen in a final!

Don’t miss this match; Sunday night, 9:00 pm EST on FS1

This match will be a heated one for sure. Whenever these sides meet, there are some dicey moments. It doesn’t matter if this match was a friendly or the Gold Cup Final, these two nations despise each other on the soccer pitch. To be quite honest the chippier the game is, the more change the USA has to win. If the game is more so normal then Mexico will have the advantage in this match. It will be a sight to see for sure!

Don’t miss out on the action in this one! One of the best rivalries in all of the international soccer kicks off at 9:00 pm EST! We will have a recap of all the action no matter who lifts the Gold Cup tomorrow, so be sure to come back here as we tie a bow on this very fun competition! Until then, enjoy USA-Mexico however you can, and if you can. I’ll be stressed the whole time!

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Mandatory Credit: Robin Alam/Icon Sportswire