Dallas: In the CONCACAF Nations League final on Sunday, the United States defeated Mexico 2-0 thanks to goals from Gio Reyna and Tyler Adams, winning them all three trophies in the competition’s history.
The USA, who also won the Nations League titles in 2021 and 2023, scored in the 45th minute through a long-range screamer from Adams, and in the 63rd minute through a goal from Reyna, who scored from the edge of the box.
“He will never get the old winning titles for your country. I will never take any of them for granted,” said Reyna.
“The group of guys and the energy we have, I always love coming to camp. I’m at a loss for words right now.”
Reyna hoped the “Three-peat” would provide inspiration for the Copa America competition on home soil this summer against South America’s best teams.
“It’s big for momentum,” he said. “Now we’ve been together with our core group. We know what it means to win big games.
“We hope to keep the momentum going in the Copa America and maybe lift the trophy there.”
The Mexicans appeared to have a lifeline for the match in the 73rd minute when a penalty was awarded after American defender Antonee Robinson fouled Santiago Gimenez in the penalty area.
But video review overturned the decision and Gimenez was instead shown a yellow card for simulation, dulling the excitement for the Mexican battle.
The game was abandoned in the 86th minute and twice more in stoppage time after Mexican fans shouted discriminatory language, a homophobic slur, when the opposition kicked the ball.
When the final whistle finally blew, the Americans claimed the crown in Arlington, Texas, home of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
“Our goal this whole tournament was to advance and then get a chance to play in the finals and win the finals, and we accomplished that,” U.S. coach Gregg Berhalter said.
The Americans won both previous CONCACAF Nations League crowns, defeating Mexico 3-2 in overtime in the opening match of the 2021 championship and Canada 2-0 in last year’s final after eliminating Mexico 3-0 in last year’s semifinals.
Mexico still leads the all-time rivalry 37-24 with 17 ties, but the U.S. men stretched their current unbeaten streak against Mexico in all competitions to seven games with five wins and two ties.
“Whenever you don’t achieve something, you have to learn from it,” Mexico manager Jaime Lozano said. “They were better in almost everything, quality, pressure, scoring opportunities. They pressed us well and we couldn’t find solutions.
“They are deserved winners and we need to learn as much as we can from this experience and turn it around quickly.”