First things first: the United States and Mexico play a lot. Regional tournaments. Friendlies. World Cup qualifying. Even the World Cup itself. So their meeting at the Rose Bowl tonight is just one more chapter in a beer-throwing, anthem-booing, ankle-kicking neighborhood rivalry.
That said, tonight’s meeting has set the hype machine on high.
The Americans sure could use a victory. They were immensely disappointing — and thoroughly embarrassed — by their performance in this summer’s Gold Cup, the regional championship tournament, and everyone in the American camp from the players to Coach Jurgen Klinsmann to U.S. Soccer’s president, Sunil Gulati, could use the shot in the arm that a win over their biggest rival would bring.