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He USA The men continued their dominance of the Concacaf Nations League, and their regional rivals Mexico — with a 2-0 victory and a third consecutive title in the competition at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Sunday night.
tyler adams scored a lightning bolt in the first half and a Juan Reyna added a second after the break with a difficult volley to give the United States victory with a famous “two to zero” scoreboard and a measure of redemption after a boring victory over Jamaica in the Nations League semifinals on Thursday.
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“I don’t score goals like that all the time, but I’m happy to be able to score one like that today,” said Adams, who was substituted at half-time as a precaution.
Adams, who has just returned to playing for his club side Bournemouth, added: “I always get up for the big games.”
With this result, Gregg Berhalter’s team retains its Nations League crown, having won the first two editions of the competition in 2021 and 2023, and extends its unbeaten streak against Mexico to a record seven games.
Adams, making his first start for the United States in 475 days, turned the game around at the end of the first half, launching an impressive shot from distance to win Guillermo Ochoa and give the Americans a narrow lead at half-time.
As Mexico struggled to get back into the game, Reyna took advantage of a poor clearance in the penalty area and fired a volley past Ochoa at his near post to double the USMNT lead.
Referee Drew Fischer stopped the match shortly before full time and then again in added time in accordance with Step 2 of Concacaf’s anti-discrimination protocol after an anti-gay chant was repeatedly heard in the crowd when the American goalkeeper Matt Turner took his goal kicks.
Last year’s Nations League semifinal between the United States and Mexico in Las Vegas ended about four minutes early due to chants from Mexican fans, who for years have insulted opposing teams’ goalkeepers.
Adams, troubled by a right hamstring injury that required surgery twice, had not played for the United States since the 2022 World Cup before coming on in the 63rd minute on Thursday and then leaving in the 100th due to a minute restriction.
He was limited to a single 21-minute club appearance between March 11, 2023 and March 13, when he returned from injury with a 20-minute stint for Bournemouth against Luton Town in the English Premier League.
Adams joined Josh Wolff as the only Americans in the last 40 years to score their first two goals against The Tri — also scored in a friendly against Mexico in September 2018.
Still on a minutes limit, Adams was replaced by Johnny Cardoso early in the second half.
Reyna, limited to one league start this season with Borussia Dortmund and Nottingham Forest, scored his eighth international goal. Christian Pulisic’s cross was blocked by defender Johan Vásquez. The ball deflected off U.S. forward Haji Wright toward Vasquez, who headed an attempted clearance. Reyna let the ball bounce and beat Ochoa to the near post from 16 yards.
Fischer initially awarded a penalty kick for a challenge by Antonee Robinson on Santiago Giménez shortly after Reyna’s goal, but following a video review by Nicaragua’s Tatiana Guzmán, the head referee overturned the foul and gave the forward a yellow card for simulation.
Berhalter made five changes from Thursday’s starting lineup in the 3-1 overtime win against Jamaica, adding right back Sergiño Dest, central defender Tim Ream, midfielders Adams and Reyna, and forward Wright. They replaced Joe Scally, Miles Robinson, Yunus Musah, Malik Tillman and Folarin Balogun.
Mexico coach Jaime Lozano inserted right back Jorge Sánchez and forward Hirving Lozano for Julián Araujo and Julián Quiñones.
Both the United States and Mexico will now begin preparing for this summer’s Copa América, which will be played in the United States between June 20 and July 14.
Jamaica beat Panama 1-0 in the third-place match with a goal from Dexter Lembikisa in the 41st minute.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this article.