Mexico slips by USA at Azteca 2-1 on late goal

A late goal allowed Mexico to slip past a game US squad at Azteca Wednesday afternoon.  A dream start from the Americans saw them in front on only 9 minutes as Landon Donovan found a streaking Charlie Davies who cut into the Mexico box and calmly curled it past Mexican keeper Ochoa into the right side netting.

Mexico responded well though as they established possession and the US fell deeper into their own half.  In the 19th minute Mexico would equalize.  The uneven officiating would rear its ugly head on the play as Landon Donovan picked up the ball and began to dribble out of his own third where he was grabbed and lost possession.  The referee decided to swallow his whistle and Mexico countered by playing out left in the area Donovan vacated.  Both American central players had to slide that way and Mexico played back inside where Israel Castro waited.  He fired a rocket from 30 yards out which caught the underside of the crossbar and bounced down and in.  Tim Howard had no chance.

The game drifted from there as Americans received yellow cards for their fouls while Mexicans received nothing for the same fouls.  The game looked destined for a 1-1 draw as the US defended well and Mexico generated few chances at all. 

Then the decisive moment came in the 81st as Bocanegra and Landon Donovan got stretched allowing Juarez to race deep into the box where a deflected ball landed with Miguel Sabah who roofed the ball from close range over Tim Howard for the winner.

It was a match that Mexico had to have but didnt necessarily deserve to win.  That's soccer though and Mexico got their three points and have clawed back into the race for a spot at South Africa 2010.  Next up for the US is a home match with El Salvador that suddenly becomes a must win situation.  Mexico faces the difficult trip to Costa Rica.