LAS VEGAS, Nevada – The United States and Mexico are meeting for a tournament-leading seventh Concacaf Gold Cup Final, but that doesn't necessarily paint the entire picture of the tournament's 30-year history.
Honduras almost edged the U.S. in the tournament's first Final in 1991. Canada sent earned their first title by beating guest team Colombia nine years later at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Even five-time FIFA World Cup winners Brazil couldn't hold its own against Mexico in two Gold Cup finals. There have been some dramatic wins, some heartbreaking losses and some stunners along the way.
Without further ado, here is a look back at the five best Gold Cup finals.
Canada beats Columbia, 2000
Canada was the lowest-ranked team in the North American Football Union and had to fight its way into the Gold Cup tournament. Yet, once it was in, it made plenty of noise. Canada snuck its way out of Group D with just two points and was up against heavy favorite and defending champion Mexico in the quarterfinals. Playing in San Diego, in front of a pro-Mexico crowd, Canada would prevail 2-1 in a stunning win. It then won against Trinidad and Tobago in the semifinals in a 1-0 result. Canada was sizzling in the knockout stage and that carried into the Final by beating a Colombia team that had beat the U.S. and Peru on its way to the final.
Los Cafeteros were stacked with players who plied their trade in Europe and some of top leagues in South America. It didn't matter, however, as Canada refused to relent in a 2-0 victory. Jason de Vos scored the game-winning goal in the 45th minute for Canada and the team would pad its lead in the second half thanks to a spot kick from Carlo Corazzin. The win was significant as Canada remains the only team outside of the U.S. and Mexico to hoist the Gold Cup.
U.S. edges Honduras, 1991
It was a hard-fought, physical affair that ended 0-0 after 120 minutes, but the U.S.'s penalty shootout win over Honduras in the inaugural edition was massive for several reasons.
It was the Stars and Stripes' first-ever major tournament and it was led by a largely semi-professional team of players from the American Professional Soccer League. The win would catapult several of the U.S.'s top players into moves abroad, including Eric Wynalda, Peter Vermes and Bruce Murray.
It also showcased the appetite for soccer stateside, with the tournament taking place three years before the U.S. hosted the 1994 FIFA World Cup. With the final drawing nearly 40,000 in Los Angeles, it proved soccer and the Gold Cup has an important place in sports in the country.
Mexico beats Brazil, 1996
This was a young, but stacked Brazil side featuring players who would go on to become fixtures like Dida, Flavio Conceicao, Savio, Ze Roberto and others. None of that mattered to Mexico, who contained El Selecao in a 2-0 win in front of 88,155 fans in Los Angeles.
Luis Garcia Postigo and a relatively-young Cuauhtemoc Blanco were the goalscorers in a memorable result.
U.S. beats Mexico, 2007
Mexico landed the first punch, but it was the U.S. who would be victorious thanks to Landon Donovan and surprise hero Benny Feilhaber.
Donovan's credentials were well-known entering the 2007 final. He was the catalyst of the U.S.' stunning run to the quarterfinals in the 2002 FIFA World Cup and led the team to two wins in the Gold Cup (2002, 2005). Feilhaber, on the other hand, was relatively new to the national team, as he received his first call-up in March 2007.
After Andres Guardado scored in the 44th minute, it appeared as if Mexico would be on its way to lifting its fifth Gold Cup crown. Donovan would quickly dash those hopes by calmly slotting in a penalty in the 62nd minute. Feilhaber would prove to be the hero, though, as the 22-year-old pounced on a rebound with an epic rocket from just outside the box to ice the dramatic win for the U.S.
Mexico rallies to overtake U.S., 2011
This was a final for the ages.
The 2011 Gold Cup arguably had both Mexico and the U.S. at the peak of their respective powers with stars on both sides of the pitch. Donovan, Rafael Marquez, Tim Howard, Freddy Adu, Michael Bradley, Javier Hernandez and Giovani dos Santos. This was glorious and the 93,000-plus fans in attendance at the Rose Bowl made this contest have an unforgettable atmosphere.
The U.S. stormed to an early 2-0 lead after Donovan and Bradley scored some incredible goals to get going. Unfortunately for the Yanks, one of their backline leaders in Steve Cherundolo went down in the 11th minute and Mexico saw its chance to strike on the flanks. Playing in arguably one of his best games as a member of the national team, Dos Santos was unbelievable at times against the U.S. backline. The Mexican winger had several players dancing as they couldn't stop him and he teed up Pablo Barrera and Guardado for two of Mexico's three goals that all came in succession.
Dos Santos saved the best for last as he received a through ball in the box and had Howard crawling on the pitch trying to stop the winger. With the goal in his sight, Dos Santos had one of the best chips ever scored to push the score to 4-2. It sent the Mexican fans in attendance into a frenzy and effectively sent the U.S. to defeat.
