US-Mexico countdown: No. 19

19. US Cup ’96; Pasadena, Calif.; June 16, 1996: Mexico 2, US 2

For the Americans, this was the first US-Mexico game played in the Major League Soccer era. For the Mexicans, it was a chance of redemption over a bad loss to the Americans in this same tournament a year prior. While Mexico did not fully redeem themselves with a victory, El Tri walked away with its first US Cup trophy and celebrated their triumph heartily in front of 92,216 at the Rose Bowl. The matchup had plenty of storylines. US coach Steve Sampson was going up against his former mentor and former US coach Bora Milutinovic, who had guided the US just two summers before to historic moments in this very building. Additionally, Mexican ‘keeper Jorge Campos had a league match immediately after as the Galaxy and Tampa Bay played in the second part of a doubleheader which unfortunately went into a shootout.

Lineups
United States: Brad Friedel; Mike Burns (Mike Sorber 72’), Marcelo Balboa, Alexi Lalas, Paul Caligiuri; John Harkes, Thomas Dooley, Tab Ramos, Cobi Jones, Claudio Reyna; Eric Wynalda (Brian McBride 65’)

Mexico: Jorge Campos: Claudio Suárez, Duilio Davino, Raúl Lara; Rafael Garcia, Enrique Alfaro (Cuauhtémoc Blanco 75’), Manuel Sol, Joaquín del Olmo, Germán Villa; Luis Garcia, Francisco Palencia (José Manuel Abundis 80).

Goals
US – Wynalda 34
Mexico – Garcia 45
Mexico – Blanco 89
US – Dooley