The Gold Cup is Ours

USA! USA! USA!...You just can't lose the Gold Cup on your own soil in front of Miss USA. The US didn't, but it looked dire after the first half.

The US trailed for the first time in the entire tournament following a goal in the 44th minute from Mexico's Jose Andreas Guardado. It was Mexico's first goal on American turf in nearly 800 minutes of action, which is surprising when you consider the US can't play anywhere in the lower-48 with a homefield advantage.

Despite the fact that Soldier Field looked like Esatdio Azteca North, the US drew even with a PK by Donovan and then took the lead for good on a brilliant 20-yard volley by Benny Feilhaber.

Now the Gold Cup is sort of like the NL Central of the soccer world, but the win does cement the fact that the US has surpassed Mexico in the world pecking order. The US is 9-2-1 against El Tri since 2000 and 8-0-1 here in the land of the free.

If we can accept that as fact then we raise some larger questions: How big of a step is this in the maturation of US Soccer? Is it worth something to be the bully on the block, the best team in CONCACAF? Where does this win put the US in the bigger, Western Hemisphere picture? Could we be the third best team over here behind Brazil and Argentina?

Well get an answer to that final question soon enough. The US kicks off the Copa America against Argentina on June 28.

Photo: Nam Y. Huh/Getty Images