Chaotic USMNT-Mexico Concacaf semifinal makes Twitter erupt
Goals, red cards, multiple brawls, drinks thrown onto the field, lasers shining, discriminatory chants pausing the game -- that's just a brief summary of what transpired in Thursday's Concacaf Nations League semifinal between the U.S. men's national team and Mexico.
Ths U.S. crushed Mexico 3-0 behind a brace from Christian Pulisic and a goal off the bench from Ricardo Pepi to move on to the final on Sunday, but it was everything beyond the scoreline that drew the most attention.
Weston McKennie was debatably given a red card for violent conduct after Mexican center back Cesar Montes took out Folarin Balogun's ankles from behind that earned him a straight red.
Then Mexican defensive midfielder Edson Alvarez kicked the ball at American right back Sergino Dest with five minutes to go, prompting Dest to retaliate. Then Ozziel Arteaga hit Dest's head multiple times from behind, and both would be sent off, too.
All that came before discriminatory chants from fans of Mexico that paused the game in the 89th minute -- causing a 12-minute extra time delay -- before it resumed twice more that forced the referee to simply end the game in the 97th minute.
Here's what Twitter had to say about the drama that unfolded at Allegiant Stadium, home of the Las Vegas Raiders:
Welcome to Concacaf. pic.twitter.com/LecziBEuLL
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 16, 2023
Four red cards 🔴
Lasers in eyes
Cups thrown on pitch
FOLARIN BALOGUN, welcome to CONCACAF pic.twitter.com/f5zZEuswIa— Men in Blazers (@MenInBlazers) June 16, 2023
This game had everything. Red cards. Clashes. Blood. Ripped shirts. Weston McKennie’s nipple. Blonde Gio Reyna. Pulisic brace. Just another day in USA vs. Mexico. #USAvMEX #USMNT #Concacaf pic.twitter.com/jtfisF5LCF
— Pierson (@PPFleegrr_87) June 16, 2023
This isn’t even close. Mexico can’t touch the USMNT right now….. and you LOVE to see it. This young team is running all over them and when Mexico are boiling over… the USMNT fighting for each other.
Inject it in my veins— Stu Holden (@stuholden) June 16, 2023
This is the largest margin of victory for the United States in a competitive game vs Mexico. pic.twitter.com/PsVi3xrjWB
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 16, 2023
Pulisic when he plays against Mexico pic.twitter.com/l5U9KFqcQc
— Stars and Stripes FC (@StarsStripesFC) June 16, 2023
Miles Robinson has played against Mexico in 4 competitive matches, playing 380 minutes in those games.
Mexico have not scored against Robinson. Rock. 🪨 pic.twitter.com/BDNHPrqaGA— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
The 🇺🇸 XI in their 3-0 win over Mexico…
Average age of 23.9. 🤩
Interim coach. 😯
Pulisic, Dest (before the dumb red), McKennie (before the red), Richards, Musah, Reyna, Weah all good on the day.
And Balogun got his 1st taste of CONCACAF. 😤 pic.twitter.com/ugbL6Cb4kW— Football Wonderkids (@fbwonderkids) June 16, 2023
Today marked a modern-day rock bottom for Mexico.
— Lizzy Becherano (@lizzy_becherano) June 16, 2023
I said this after the USMNT beat Mexico in Cincinnati and I feel this way now: it’s so weird seeing them take it to El Tri. Even when they would beat Mexico for years it was with the counterpunch. They straight up take it to Mexico now. It’s so jarring and wonderful.
— Ryan Rosenblatt (@RyanRosenblatt) June 16, 2023
The U.S. will now play Canada in the final on Sunday at 8 p.m. ET. Canada beat Panama 2-0 in its semifinal matchup earlier on Thursday.