Mexico snapped a decade victory drought against the Americans in the United States on Sunday with a 5-0 rout for its fifth CONCACAF regional championship. Captain Gerardo Torrado scored on a penalty in the 56th minute, then the inexperienced US squad came unglued. As an overwhelmingly pro-Mexico sellout crowd of 79,156 rocked Giants Stadium, Giovani Dos Santos and Carlos Vela scored five minutes apart despite several brilliant saves by Troy Perkins. Indeed, it seemed the goalkeeper was the only American on the field during the 11-minute blitz in which Mexico's attackers could have sprinted all the way back to Azteca Stadium without being touched. The fiesta was on. Jose Antonio Castro and Guillermo Franco put the finishing touches on Mexico's first win in the US since March 1989. Castro scored off a great through-pass from Vela, a substitute who lifted Mexico when he entered the game after halftime. The US, fielding an inexperienced squad after the top team finished second in the Confederations Cup last month, could not maintain American dominance of its continental rival. Not even close. Mexico was winless in 11 matches with two draws in the US since its last victory, and fell 2-0 in February in a World Cup qualifier. The nations meet again in Mexico City on Aug. 12, but then the full American squad will be on hand, along with several of the players who carried El Tri to this Gold Cup crown. But that is another story. For now, after a 10-year wait, there was sweet victory in commanding style. At the final whistle, the green-clad Mexican players stormed onto the field in jubilation, mobbing Dos Santos, who was voted the game's most valuable player. Then they saluted the crowd that made the Meadowlands sound more like Mexico City, making a tour of the pitch with the trophy in hand.
