USMNT's dominant win vs. Mexico overshadowed by Gregg Berhalter bombshell
PARADISE, Nevada — The U.S. men's national team extended its unbeaten streak against Mexico to six games Thursday with an emphatic 3-0 win over El Tri that sent the Americans to Sunday's CONCACAF Nations League final against Canada. The Canadians topped Panama in the other semi earlier Thursday.
After missing a golden first half chance to put the hosts ahead, Christian Pulisic took full advantage of his next two opportunities, scoring on either side of halftime.
Pulisic converted his second off a perfect cross by Tim Weah just after the break. Second half substitute Ricardo Pepi completed the rout four minutes after replacing debutant Folarin Balogun.
The only downside for the U.S. was the red cards issued to Sergiño Dest and Weston McKennie for retaliating in two separate altercations after the outcome was beyond doubt.
Here are three takeaways from Thursday's match.
USMNT thoroughly humiliates El Tri
The 3-0 score line represents the largest margin of victory for the U.S. over Mexico in more than 23 years. After a slow start in front of the hugely pro-Mexican crowd at Allegiant Stadium, the U.S. began to dominate around the 15-minute mark. They never looked back.
"A lot of positives to take them the game obviously," goalkeeper Matt Turner said afterward.
The Americans looked as if they had a point to prove in this one, and prove it they did. Once Pulisic made it dos a cero, it was effectively over.
"I feel like we just executed really well," Weah said. "Christian, as you saw, he was bummed about missing. But as a team, we got him back up and he got the first [goal] and then the second. Then it was just flowing from there."
Coming off their worst World Cup showing in decades, El Tri had no answers. Soccer answers, anyway. Instead of trying to claw a goal back, the Mexican players instead resorted to trying to kick their opponents whenever possible.
"The last time we played Mexico it's the same situation," Weah said. "With a game like this, stuff is gonna happen."
Still, the U.S. looked far more prepared this time around. More experienced, too, after reaching the round of 16 at Qatar 2022 six months ago.
"I think everyone was pretty sad about losing at the World Cup because it's one of the biggest stages, if not the biggest stage," Weah said. "I think we learned from it. And now we're trying our best to bounce back and refocus against big teams like this."
U.S. will miss Dest, McKennie on Sunday
The triumph came at a significant cost for the U.S. Both teams finished the match with nine men. Mexico's Cesar Montes was sent off for brutally having down Balogun; McKennie also saw red after rushing to his new teammate's defense. Later, Sergiño Dest responded in kind after taking a push in the face from Gerardo Arteaga.
The red cards obviously hurt the Americans far more, as both Dest and McKennie will now miss the title match.
"I was disappointed in the end," Pulisic said. "I really wish some of our guys kept their heads a little bit better."
Turner took a more philosophical view.
"Those are obviously two guys that started every game in the World Cup, guys have been stalwarts for our team over the past couple of years," he said. [But] the strength of our group is the collective. So we'll rely on the next man up, like we always do."
U.S. win overshadowed by news of Berhalter's return
On a normal night, there would be no bigger USMNT news than playing its biggest rival off the field to advance to the final of a tournament. This was no normal night.
Less than two hours before kickoff, the agent of Jesse Marsch — the only American to who has coached in the English Premier League, German Bundesliga and UEFA Champions League — said that his client would not become the next U.S. coach, as many had predicted. Then, just as the match was about to get underway, The Athletic reported that 2022 World Cup coach Gregg Berhalter was close to reaching an agreement to come back for the remainder of the 2026 cycle — news that FOX Sports confirmed.
It was a stunning turn of events for a program that has been without a full-time leader all year. Berhalter is expected to be (re)introduced on Friday. Interim coach B.J. Callaghan, a Berhalter assistant from 2019-22, dodged a question about the former boss' imminent return. So did several U.S. players. Pulisic, who took home Man of the Match honors, wasn't among them.
"Today is a testament of the work that [Berhalter] put into this team," said Pulisic, who wore the captain's armband with Tyler Adams injured. "B.J. picked up right where he left off and it's a testament to him, a testament to this team and the way that we just continued and put on a performance like that."
Doug McIntyre is a soccer writer for FOX Sports. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports and he has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.