It’s telling when you have to attach the word “only” to a 4-0 win.
Yet, here we are. The United States could only muster a 4-0 win against their rivals last night. Mexico even had a couple attempts on net. No saves for Hope Solo, but she did have to move a couple times.
Actually she might have moved a bit too much, somehow tweaking something in her leg on a routine kick. Like the stubborn fool that she is she stayed in the game after, despite the game being well under control.
For their part Mexico looked like they were at least playing the same sport as the Americans. In fact there were stretches, especially in the latter part of the first half, where they were the equal to the Americans. Mexico has some technical skill, no doubt, and is much, much more athletic than it was just a few short years ago (and much, much, much, much more athletic than the rest of the field in Vancouver, sans Canada). Based on the evidence on hand they will push Canada Friday in the semi-final.
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They’ll push them, but they probably won’t beat them. As Canadian soccer fans we are inclined to see the negative in every possibility. However, worrying too much about Mexico is silly.
Canada handled this same team twice in Mexico a year ago in World Cup qualifying. One of the games was a 3-0 whitewash. Although Canada doesn’t do much better against the US than the Mexicans do they do perform better against them. In any comparison you can pull out Canada comes out on top.
What settles it, however, is a feeling that this Canadian team is psychologically stronger than teams in the past. Whether it’s the simple relief of getting out of a relationship that was more abusive than you realized at the time (hello Carolina – still don’t have a job I see...), or if John Herdman has managed to change the attitude is unknown. However, something is different.
Mexico won’t be a pushover. Let’s call it a hard fought 2-0 win for the Canucks. Then the real work of preparing for London can begin.