'Chepo' Jose Manuel de la Torre is gone, and not a moment too soon. Mexico come into Tuesday's World Cup qualifier against the United States in serious need of a big result. A loss wouldn't eliminate Mexico from contention to finish top three in the Hex, but it would put them in an extremely precarious situation.
Meanwhile, the United States are in the unfamiliar position of not exactly needing a home win against Mexico, but they can potentially clinch a World Cup berth if they pull it off.
United States (4-2-3-1): Tim Howard; DaMarcus Beasley, Michael Orozco-Fiscal, Omar Gonzalez, Michael Parkhurst; Kyle Beckerman, Jermaine Jones; Fabian Johnson, Clint Dempsey, Graham Zusi; Landon Donovan
Mexico (4-2-3-1): Jose de Jesus Corona; Carlos Salcido, Hector Moreno, Diego Reyes, Severo Meza; Hector Herrera, Fernando Arce; Angel Reyna, Christian Gimenez, Giovani dos Santos; Javier Hernandez
With the United States missing key players and Mexico making a managerial change just four days ago, don't be surprised by anything. It seems unlikely that El Tri will completely wake up from their slumber in less than a week, however, and the U.S. have beaten Mexico at home with worse squads.
The storylines and rivalry started in the 1930s, when the two teams squared off in a playoff to qualify for the 1934 World Cup. Both teams traveled by boat over a month to a neutral venue in Italy, and took vastly difference approaches to preparation. The American team exercised on the deck of the boat, while the Mexican team relaxed and confided in its superior technical ability. They were wrong. The US won 4-2 and qualified, but the pendulum swung in Mexico's favor soon thereafter. A year later, Mexico beat the US three times for a combined goal differential of 19-6.
Thus, the following pattern emerged: US upsets Mexico, then motivated Mexico goes on a run of dominance. Only in later decades would a semblance of parity emerge. Here are a few key games in that journey:
