Explaining USMNT Legend Landon Donovan’s Brutal Mexico Taunt

There was a slightly different take from beaten Mexico manager Rafael Márquez.

Landon Donovan enjoyed the USMNT’s win over Mexico. | Jamie Squire/Getty Images

The U.S. men’s national team all-time top scorer Landon Donovan had plenty of characters to spare when dropping a succinct post on social media which still managed to enrage a large slice of Mexico’s fanbase.

“#TresACero is the new #DosACero,” Donovan wrote to celebrate the USMNT’s 3–0 victory over El Tri on Saturday night.

In the space of just a handful of words, Donovan had successfully started a new trend while digging up the rotting bones of an enmity which dates back more than a quarter of a century.

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What Is the #DosACero Rivalry Between USMNT and Mexico?

Landon Donovan has history with Mexico. | Shaun Botterill/Getty Images

Donovan’s reference to “Tres a Cero” is easy enough to decode: the U.S. won 3–0 in Arizona over the weekend. However, the national teams which the slippery striker played for developed a habit of beating Mexico 2–0; “Dos a Cero.”

The first of this sequence of results came in 2001, when Donovan watched from the bench as goals from Josh Wolff and Earnie Stewart afforded the USMNT a sweet victory against their southern neighbors. The Concacaf Clásico would return on the grand stage of the World Cup round of 16 the following year. The Stars and Stripes once again prevailed, with Donovan scoring the second goal of a 2–0 win.

• USMNT 2–0 Mexico (2001)—World Cup qualifier
• Mexico 0–2 USMNT (2002)—World Cup round of 16
• USMNT 2–0 Mexico (2005)—World Cup qualifier
• USMNT 2–0 Mexico (2009)—World Cup qualifier

The U.S. had a rich run of results against Mexico at the start of the 21st century, laying the foundations of a cherished scoreline that Mauricio Pochettino’s side managed to surpass on Saturday.

“The rivalry on the pitch is fierce—it’s a battle to the death,” Pochettino explained. “We want to beat Mexico, but afterwards, there is respect.” Clearly, Donovan didn’t quite get that memo.

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‘Positives to Take’—Mexico Boss Has Interesting Take on Humbling Defeat

Rafael Márquez did not have an enjoyable afternoon. | Chris Coduto/Getty Images

Rafael Márquez was one of Mexico’s arch antagonists against the U.S. during his glittering playing career. The former center back was sent off in that World Cup reverse in 2002 and came into this weekend’s derby aware of the stakes. Despite the significant size of the scoreline, Márquez was still able to see “positives.”

El Tri started the better of the two teams, pinning the U.S. back for the opening 25 minutes before Julian Hall broke the deadlock for the host. “I think Mexico started very well in the first half,” Pochettino freely admitted. “They forced us to play defensively. We never really found our rhythm.”

“It’s a process, and I’m confident we can maintain the level of play we showed against Colombia, at least up until the 28th minute [tonight], when the goal was scored,” Márquez argued. “I think there are positives to take away, but obviously, we need to be self-critical.”

When it came to pinpointing those issues, the new Mexico boss admitted his side did “lack a bit more clarity going forward” but wrote off most of the result to individual blunders from his goalkeeper. “The other issues were terrible mistakes where, ultimately, you practically gifted those three goals to the opposing team.”

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