US and Mexico Soccer Teams Fail to Dominate Opponents Despite 3-1 Victories

Despite winning their respective matches on Friday, the United States and Mexican International Soccer teams disappointed in their opening match for the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers.

Both teams were victorious over their respective opponents, but the two front runners of the CONCACAF Soccer Federation were expected to steamroll through the matches. Instead both teams wound up with 3-1 victories that emphasized their inabilities to completely dominate their opponents.

The US Soccer team's opponent was Antigua and Barbuda, which is currently ranked 105 on the FIFA Ranking list. The US, ranked 29^th by FIFA, jumped out to a 1-0 lead at the 8 minute mark on a Carlos Bocanegra goal. They played strong throughout the first half, but had no goals to show for it until Clint Dempsey gave the team some breathing room with a penalty kick at the 44^th minute. However, the tide seemed to turn as Antigua and Barbuda seemed to be the more energetic team to start the second half. Antigua was promptly rewarded at the 65 minute mark when Peter Byers ran by a pinching US defender Oguchi Oneywu and blasted a shot past US goalkeeper Tim Howard. After the goal, US seemed to wake up and came back with a number of chances that were thwarted time and again by Antigua goalkeeper Molvin James. Hercules Gomez provided the relief by scoring into an empty net on a broken play in the 71^st minute.

Meanwhile, Mexico, widely considered the best team in the CONCACAF and currently ranked 19^th on the FIFA rankings, came out ready to dominate opponent Guyana, ranked 104 by FIFA. Mexico's Carlos Salcido opened the scoring at the 11 minute mark and Giovanni Dos Santos added another goal just 4 minutes later. Mexico got some luck to start the second period when Guyana's John Rodrigues scored an own goal at the 51 minute mark. However Mexico returned the favor as Hector Moreno scored a goal into his own net to put Guyana on the board. Mexico would get some other scoring chances later in the game, but would not be able to build on the lead.

Both teams will resume World Cup Qualifying matches Tuesday. Mexico will battle El Salvador while the USA will hope to top Guatemala.