With Gold Cup Rewind, CONCACAF.com looks back -- in video and words -- at some of the Gold Cup’s greatest games, moments and players. The series starts Tuesday with the 2011 final between Mexico and the United States.
For once and for all, Mexico put to rest – in spectacular fashion -- any doubts as to which team was CONCACAF’s best in 2011.
Overcoming a two-goal deficit, the Tricolor struck for four unanswered goals — two in each half — to roll past the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final, 4-2, before 93,420 fans at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, on July 26, 2011.
The Mexicans also earned another prize: a trip to the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.
“There’s no better moment than victory,” said Mexico head coach Jose Manuel de la Torre. “Everything else is in the past now.”
Midfielder Pablo Barrera struck for two goals, including the game-winner in the 50th minute. Andres Guardado and Giovani dos Santos, the man of the match, also scored for the winner. Michael Bradley (8’) and Landon Donovan (23’) had given the Americans an early 2-0 advantage.
“We deserved the win,” dos Santos remarked.
The triumph capped one of the most memorable Gold Cup runs for any champion in the tournament’s 11 editions. The Mexicans went a perfect 6W-0D-0L, outscoring their opponents, 22-4.
“They’re as dynamic as any [Mexican] team that I’ve ever played against,” commented Donovan. “They’ve got a few guys who can change the game in a heartbeat. They can make special plays. They’re explosive.”
