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Fox Sports
12 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
What Is 'Dos a Cero'? A History Of The USA-Mexico Rivalry's Signature Scoreline
In the USA-Mexico rivalry, there's a scoreline that sends one fanbase into elation while irking the other. Whether it's in a high-stakes World Cup game or in a "friendly" match against El Tri,, you'll hear shouted out among USA supporters whenever it flashes across the jumbotron. You'll see it on T-shirts and even see it adorned on scarves. Dos a Cero! — which is simply, "Two to Zero" in Spanish. The 2-0 scoreline carries significance for the U.S., especially as Mexico's historical dominance has shifted toward a more competitive rivalry since the turn of the century. So, what is Dos A Cero? And why does it continue to be brought up? Let's dive in. Brief Snapshot of USA-Mexico Rivalry First off, some history of the overall USA-Mexico men's soccer rivalry that stretches back to 1934 – even if it didn't even begin in either country. The first game between the two neighbors was a 4-2 win for the U.S. in a World Cup qualifying match, with the game held in Rome ahead of the 1934 tournament in Italy. But Mexico would dominate for the rest of the century, with the USMNT not winning again until 1980. In all, there have been 78 matches between the two teams, with Mexico holding the advantage with 37 wins. The U.S. has 24 wins, and there have been 17 draws. Only once has Mexico lost on home soil, a 2012 friendly. But when it comes to games with something on the line – whether it's in World Cup qualifying matches, Gold Cup clashes, or even in the World Cup itself – it's the USA with the upper hand. The USA has 16 wins in competitive matches, with Mexico having 14, and having nine draws. And as we'll detail below, the only time the two teams met in the actual World Cup was in 2002, when the U.S. beat Mexico to advance to the quarterfinals - by a score of 2-0. The game, held in South Korea, was the third and last time the rivalry has been played outside of North America. With interest in the sport increasing after the U.S. hosted the 1994 World Cup and the founding of Major League Soccer in 1996, that helped shift the tide in the USA-Mexico rivalry. Since 2000, the USMNT has 20 wins compared to Mexico's 19 (with four draws). A 'Cold War' Solidifies An Infamous Scoreline A friendly match between the two teams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on Oct. 5, 2000 marked a turning point in the rivalry. It marked the debut of USMNT legend Landon Donovan, who scored the winner in the 2-0 win that would signal more things to come. Five months later, the two teams met under much different circumstances. Instead of an exhibition match in breezy California weather, it was a World Cup qualifying match on Feb. 28, 2001, in freezing temperatures in Ohio. In a game that became known as La Guerra Fria ("The Cold War"), goals by Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart solidified a second straight 2-0 result over Mexico. Then came what remains the signature moment of this rivalry and this scoreline. The two teams met again on June 17, 2002, on the biggest stage of all – the World Cup. In an elimination match for the right to reach the quarterfinals. Donovan's second-half goal in Jeonju, South Korea, secured a third straight 'Dos A Cero.' The next three times that the U.S. hosted Mexico in World Cup qualifying matches (2005, 2009, 2013) all followed the same pattern. Played in Columbus. And all finished 2-0. There was even some speculation that Clint Dempsey purposely missed a penalty kick in the 2013 win to keep the scoreline. "Nah, I always try to score … I was a little bit tired," Dempsey told reporters after that game, citing it was his first ever penalty miss for the USMNT. "It's this mystical thing, right? It's like this ghost," U.S. midfielder Alejandro Bedoya also said about the reoccuring scoreline. Add in two wins in exhibition matches in 2007 and 2015 with the same scoreline and El Tri fans started thinking there was a Dos A Cero curse. The Curse Is Broken – and 'Dos A Cero' 2.0 USMNT fans will always connect the 2018 World Cup qualifying cycle with the loss to Trinidad & Tobago that kept the team from going to Russia. But there were signs along that campaign that the U.S. would be entering a low point. The first warning sign? Mexico finally broke the curse of World Cup qualifying games held in Columbus. Rafael Marquez's goal in the waning minutes of the game on Nov. 11, 2016, secured a 2-1 win for Mexico. "It was a new opportunity for me, for all of us to write a new story, and we did that," Marquez said after that game. "It had been a long time without a win here, with the cold, the difficulties, and the opponent, too." The U.S. failed to respond in its very next game, a 4-0 loss to Costa Rica, which cost Jurgen Klinnsman his job as manager. But the U.S. would struggle through the rest of qualifying, and ultimately fell short of reaching Russia. But Dos A Cero didn't stay away for long. It just came back with a slight twist. The USMNT beat Mexico once again 2-0 in a World Cup qualifying match on Nov. 21, 2021 in Ohio – but this time in Cincinnati instead of Columbus. It included Christian Pulisic scoring and responding to a comment made by El Tri keeper Guillermo Ochoa saying that "Mexico is the mirror in which the [U.S.] wants to see itself. Then the U.S. did again on March 24, 2024, with an actual trophy on the line. Tyler Adams and Gio Reyna secured their spots in the Dos A Cero lore to win the Concacaf Nations League trophy over Mexico at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. And then another twist, Mexico finally secured its own Dos A Cero. In Mauricio Pochettino's second match in charge of the USMNT, he got a quick introduction to the rivalry in a 2-0 loss in an Oct. 15, 2024, friendly in Guadalajara. With both the USMNT and Mexico wanting to end the summer on a high note and with a trophy, we should expect an entertaining game in Sunday's Gold Cup final in Houston. It remains to be seen if we'll see that familiar scoreline flash across the stadium. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! recommended Get more from Gold Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
a day ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
USA Gets Mexico In The Gold Cup Final Everyone Wanted: 'We Owe Them'
ST. LOUIS — U.S. men's national team defender Chris Richards didn't hesitate when asked if he wanted to face Mexico in the Concacaf Gold Cup final. It was only an hour after the U.S. had outlasted Guatemala 2-1 in Wednesday's semifinal. But Richards was upfront about wanting to face the Americans' historic nemesis in Sunday's grand finale in Houston (coverage begins at 6 p.m. ET on FOX). Mexico was still locked in a scoreless battle with Honduras halfway across the country at that point. It would've been easy for Richards to hedge. He didn't. "Yeah," Richards said. "Yeah, I do." "We owe them a little something from the October camp," Richards added, alluding to Mexico's 2-0 win in Guadalajara last fall that snapped a seven-game winless run against the Americans. "We'll do it by winning a trophy." He and his USMNT teammates got their wish. Mexico went on to defeat Honduras 1-0 in Santa Clara, California, and advance to Sunday's championship. It promises to be a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 mostly green-clad fans at NRG Stadium, home of the NFL's Houston Texans. "Growing up seeing the USA-Mexico games, to be able to play in one would be unreal," said U.S. forward Diego Luna, a Mexican-American who scored both goals against Guatemala. The atmosphere on Sunday will be off the charts. But Wednesday's match was the ideal dress rehearsal for coach Mauricio Pochettino's squad, who were the home team only in name at Energizer Park. Most of the 22,000 there were rooting for the Guatemalans, who hadn't made it to the Gold Cup semifinal round in almost three decades. The noise inside the stadium was deafening for most of the contest. It made for an unforgettable spectacle, with the emotion from the stands spurring on both sides. "It's so intense," said St. Louis native Tim Ream, who captained his country for the 20th occasion on Wednesday, tying him with program legend Clint Dempsey for 11th on the all-time list. "It adds more to the game, adds more pressure." And for the most part, the Americans dealt with it well. Both of Luna's goals came inside the first 15 minutes of the contest, which helped take the air out of the building — at least for a while. But Los Chapines soon got their supporters back in the game and probably had the better of the play the rest of the way. "They had nothing to lose," said Ream. "They're down 2-0 after 15 minutes and they can go all-out, because they have to find a way back into the game." By the time it was over, the visitors had kept 51 percent of possession and out-shot the U.S. 20-12, finally beating keeper Matt Freese on Olger Escobar's strike that made the final 10 minutes excruciating for the USMNT backers in the house. Still, Pochettino's team found a way to survive. Those lessons could prove invaluable this weekend and, with the 2026 World Cup on home soil less than a year away, beyond. "This game tonight would be like the little brother to the U.S.-Mexico game," Richards said. "If they were a bit nervous for that one, the next line is going to be a lot bigger…it was really important for some of the younger guys to experience that." As grizzled Concacaf veterans, Ream and Richards weren't surprised that the U.S. was basically the away team at home. It's been the case for U.S. teams going back decades when they come up against rival countries where soccer is regarded as more religion than sport. It was a new experience for the many youngsters on this roster, which is missing about a dozen regulars this summer, including AC Milan star and USMNT headliner Christian Pulisic. "Growing up seeing the USA-Mexico games, to be able to play in one would be unreal" — U.S. men's team star Diego Luna But it surely surprised some of the youngsters. It was an eye-opener for Pochettino, too. "Unbelievable, the fans of Guatemala," the coach said. "It was an atmosphere that we did not expect." "That is Concacaf," Ream said. "You're playing in the heart of the heart of America and you have 95 percent Guatemalan fans. "You have to embrace it," he continued. "You have to enjoy it." Luna certainly did. "I loved it," he said. "That's what every game should be like." The next one will be several orders of magnitude bigger. But this young U.S. team has shown plenty of resilience in its last two games, including last Sunday's penalty shootout win over Costa Rica in the quarterfinals. And this squad has earned the right to play on the biggest stage there is in this corner of Planet Fútbol. Few would've predicted a U.S.-Mexico decider at the start of the tournament, which the Americans entered on the back of a four-match losing streak — their longest run of futility since 2007. Now they are just one more victory away from their eighth Gold Cup title. "We're onto a final, a final that I'd say a month ago, everyone basically counted us out of," Ream said. "Shame on them." Whether or not they prevail, the U.S. will be ready. "It's new for a lot of guys to play in environments like this – that's something we can build off," Luna said. "This is a great example for what's to come on Sunday." recommended Get more from Gold Cup Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Fox Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
2025 Gold Cup, Odds: For Bookmakers, 'USA-Mexico Final Is Preferred'
Gold Cup 2025 Gold Cup, Odds: For Bookmakers, 'USA-Mexico Final Is Preferred' Published Jul. 1, 2025 1:23 p.m. ET share facebook x reddit link When Gold Cup futures odds first went up, the idea of a USA vs. Mexico final was quite appealing to bookmakers. With the U.S. men's national team and El Tri on opposite sides of the bracket, that contest stood a good chance of happening. Then the U.S. nearly blew up the potential marquee matchup, narrowly surviving a penalty-kick shootout Sunday night vs. Costa Rica. But Team USA and Mexico are still on track, as both sides head to Wednesday's semifinals. And the bookmakers are grateful. "A USA-Mexico Final would be great for soccer fans, and we'd expect to see lots of interest, should it happen," said Mark Bickerdike, head of soccer trading for Caesars Sports. "Five out of the top six highest-handle events in the tournament so far involve either USA or Mexico. "So we'd expect a USA-Mexico final to be huge." Ahead of the semifinals on FS1, Bickerdike helps dive into Gold Cup betting odds and action. Perfect Result The U.S. and Costa Rica were tied 2-2 after regulation. This year, the Gold Cup instituted a new rule: For a knockout match prior to the final, a draw won't go to overtime, but rather directly to penalty kicks. So Team USA and Cosa Rica engaged in a riveting session of penalties, with the U.S. winning 4-3 to advance. In three-way betting — wagering on which team wins in regulation, or if regulation time ends in a draw — that was the perfect result for Caesars Sports. ADVERTISEMENT The USMNT was hugely popular in three-way betting. Caesars was hoping to thread the needle of the USA advancing, but not in regulation time. And that's what happened. "Draws are always a book-friendly result. This game was certainly no different, as 85% of handle on the 90-minute market was for USA, with only 3.5% coming for the draw," Bickerdike said. "Overall, the match was a very good result for the book and turned out to be the most profitable match of the tournament so far. "The USA inching toward a marquee matchup [with Mexico] was certainly a result we were looking forward to seeing." USMNT beats Costa Rica in a penalty shootout — can the USA win the Gold Cup? Semifinal Showdowns To get that USA-Mexico matchup, though, there's still the matter of Wednesday's semifinals. The U.S. meets Guatemala at 7 p.m. ET in St. Louis, followed by Mexico vs. Honduras at 10 p.m. ET in Santa Clara, Calif. The U.S. is a healthy -360 favorite in three-way betting, with Guatemala a +900 underdog and draw +425. "Early action in the 90-minute market is fairly well split. Sixty-eight percent of money has been for USA to get the job done in 90 minutes," Bickerdike said. "However, interestingly, 40% of wagers have been for Guatemala to win at +900, making them the best potential result for bettors." Indeed, there's some appeal to wagering $100 to win $900 by betting on the big underdog. In the second semifinal, Honduras is an even bigger 'dog at +1000, with Mexico -320 and draw +360. "Similar to the USA-Guatemala game, the big-priced outsider Honduras is currently appealing to our customers for straight bets, with 51% of wagers going the way of the Hondurans," Bickerdike said. "However, there is plenty of time for this to change as we get nearer to kickoff, where we expect to see a flurry of interest for Mexico." Looking Ahead As noted above, Bickerdike and the Caesars risk room want to see the Gold Cup's two most popular teams square off in Sunday night's final in Houston. "Currently, Mexico is the only losing selection remaining in the [championship futures] book," Bickerdike said. "However, given customers are favoring Honduras in the semifinal, a USA-Mexico final is preferred." Furthermore, Caesars would love to see a USA-Mexico match settled on penalty kicks. For that to happen in the final, though, the match would first have to get through a 30-minute overtime. "The U.S. ultimately getting the job done, preferably on penalties, would be the most favorable for the book." Patrick Everson is a sports betting analyst for FOX Sports and senior reporter for He is a distinguished journalist in the national sports betting space. He's based in Las Vegas, where he enjoys golfing in 110-degree heat. Follow him on X: @PatrickE_Vegas. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, and follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily! share
