Mexico’s stunning, wholly deserved triumph over the United States in Monday night’s Group A finale at the Concacaf W Gold Cup seemed to turn the tournament, and the women’s game as a whole, on its head. Almost as if the past few years had never happened.
El Tricolores’ 2-0 victory, with a scoreline that greatly flattered the hosts, certainly surprised everyone, including the victors to some extent, but it’s testament to how competitive international women’s soccer has become over the past half-dozen years or so.
Mexico, which leapfrogged the USA for top spot in the group, was clearly the better side: sharper with the ball, precise in movement, resolute defensively, spectacular in the key moments. Both goals — the first from Jacqueline Ovalle shortly before the break, the second from Floridian Mayra Pelayo at the death — were brilliant strikes, and there could have been better. El Tri twice hit the crossbar from distance, Pelayo offering one of them.
They made a U.S. side that had impressively dominated far lesser foes in its first two games, look a foot slow, a thought behind, technically mediocre, incapable of handling the onslaught pressure and — although a draw was feasible almost until the end —never in the battle.
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