PASADENA The United States and Mexico will meet for the fifth time in a Gold Cup final Saturday.
It will be the third-straight time these two nations face each other in the region's top tournament.
El Tri vs. the Stars and Stripes is an intense rivalry, one that perhaps could stack up against other rivalries in the Americas.
Argentina-Brazil. Chivas Guadalajara-Club América. Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees could be compared.
When the United States faces Mexico, there is more at stake. The winner Saturday earns a ticket to the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil in 2013, a year before the Word Cup.
But there is much more at stake when these to teams meet.
Pride and bragging rights are on the line. The winner gets to puff out its chest, claim superiority in the region. Their respective fans get to revel in the team's glory. And maybe none more than Mexico fans living in the United States.
"For years now this has transformed into something very important to the Mexican people that live in the United States. It is a 'Clásico.' That makes for a heated atmosphere," said José Manuel de la Torre. "But the final is still a soccer game featuring two strong, well-coached teams that have worked hard to reach a final we will enjoy."
Mexico has enjoyed the comfort of drawing capacity crowds throughout the United States for friendlies, as well as when the team plays in the Gold Cup every two years. El Tri drew 80,108 in Dallas for its opener against El Salvador, 62,000 in Chicago against Costa Rica, 78,807 in New Jersey and 70,627 for Wednesday's semifinal at Reliant Stadium in Houston.
The United States has to endure being the "road" team at home.
"It sucks," said U.S. defender Jonathan Bornstein. "You come into your country and you know they are going to have more fans than you have, but nonetheless, we're going to have enough fans out there supporting us. We're on our home turf and so we need to be considered the home team even though we might not have all the fans."
The United States doesn't have home field advantage and it doesn't always get the respect it might deserve despite dominating Mexico in the United States while being at full strength.
The United States has not lost to Mexico on American soil when at full strength in 12 matches (10-0-2) dating back to the year 2000. The two ties came in Houston in 2003 and 2008.
Coach Bob Bradley's team has beaten Mexico in the last three World Cup qualifiers between both teams played in the United States. All three were 2-0 victories (2001, 2005 and 2009).
The last time El Tri won on American soil against a United States carrying a complete squad was August of 1999 in San Diego.
On the other hand, the United States has never beaten Mexico on Aztec soil.
Mexico is still considered the favorite to win its sixth Gold Cup title. De la Torre is unbeaten since he took over as Mexico's coach. His team has outscored opponents 18-2 in this tournament. El Tri's roster is regarded as its best in recent history despite missing two starters (Guillermo Ochoa and Francisco Rodríguez).
Mexico won championships in 1993, 1996, 1998, 2003, and 2009 when it beat the Americans 5-0 in the final. In particular, the 2009 affair was an embarrassing event for the United States, although it used in some respects a third-string team.
For Saturday's final, the United States is considered to be at full strength despite losing striker Jozy Altidore, who will miss it with a hamstring strain.
This is the first time these two teams face each other with practically their "A" teams since Mexico beat the United States 2-1 in a World Cup qualifier in August of 2009 at Estadio Azteca.
The Americans have won the Cup in 1991, 2002, 2005 and in 2007. The latter was the win that sent the United States to the 2009 Confederations Cup, where it finished as a runner-up behind Brazil.
Qualifying to the Confederations Cup is one of Mexico's incentives. A loss to the United States on Saturday would be considered disastrous.
"We'll just be a second-place team," said Mexico's veteran defender Rafael Marquez.
This is supposed to be the squad that will change the future of Mexican soccer, the second "Golden Generation."
El Tri has Javier "Chicharito" Hernández, the Manchester United striker who has become the equivalent of a rock star in Mexico and parts of Europe.
Regardless of which players suit up, the rivalry remains the same for United States, said goalkeeper Tim Howard.
"It's been the same since I was a kid watching it. It's the same today," Howard said. "It's passion. There's a ton of respect, but yet again it borders on hatred. But it's passion, it's good. I think we have very healthy respect for them and whether they want to say it or not, they have healthy respect for us, and they should."
Ivan.orozco@sandiegored.com
[sidebar]Where to watch[/p]
Mexico plays the United States in the final of the Gold Cup tournament at 6 p.m. in the Rose Bowl in Pasadena.
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The game will be transmitted by Univision and the Fox Soccer Channel.
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More information in English and Spanish at goldcup.org[/sidebar]
