The Americans were determined to keep their home shutout streak alive that night. Their defense looked composed and organized, but Mexico was equally difficult to break down, limiting the U.S. to just one shot in the first half.
On just its second corner kick of the match, the USMNT finally opened the scoring in the 52nd minute.
From the right corner flag, 24-year-old Landon Donovan curled his service into the box where defender Jimmy Conrad rose to redirect it with a powerful header into the back of the net, leaving no chance for the diving Mexican goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez. It was the lone goal in the U.S. defender’s five-year international career.
Mexico nearly found an answer 15 minutes later. Lingering near the back post on another corner kick, striker Omar Bravo attempted to head the ball home from close range, but U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard caught it just before it crossed the goal line. Less than 30 seconds later, Bravo had another golden opportunity inside the box. This time, the forward found himself wide open but whiffed his shot under pressure from Howard.
Any hopes for a Mexico comeback disappeared as the clock ticked into stoppage time.
A costly turnover from the visitors at midfield left Donovan off to the races. The forward split two defenders inside the center circle and beelined towards goal with nothing but green grass ahead of him. Donovan looked to his right, feinting a cross to an unmarked Eddie Johnson making a run inside the box, just to take a touch around Sánchez and send the ball into an empty net to seal the 2-0 win.
