The USA have secured a place in next years FIFA World Cup Finals in Germany, with a 2-0 win over fellow CONCACAF Zone rivals Mexico.

Mexico and the USA have been leading this group from the start, and with the top three placed teams receiving automatic qualification for the World Cup Finals, the kudos of qualifying first is one that the USA team will enjoy thoroughly.

The first half showed both teams testing the water with each other, timidly passing the ball around, yet tackling hard, with yellow cards being issued to players from both teams. Both teams kept taking long distance shots that ended up well wide of the target.

It wasn’t until the 45th minute that either goalkeeper was truly tested, with a Mexican break that forced the USA's keeper Kasey Keller into a fine save, from a shot from Richard Morales. The resulting corner came to nothing, and the half-time whistle was blown by the referee.

The second half saw the same long shooting from the USA, until suddenly, in the 53rd minute, a massive confusion occurred in the Mexican defence, and Steve Ralston, from the US team New England Revolution, had an open goal to head the ball into.

Things got worse for the Mexicans just three minutes later, when the USA scored again. With Da Marcus Beasley slotting home from an acute angle, after a short corner-kick. This making it 2-0 to the home team, and for once the USA fans could be heard above the huge Mexican support.

With twenty minutes to go, USA coach Bruce Arena made a defensive substitution, taking off Landon Donovan for Paolo Mastroeni, obviously feeling that the team had done enough for it's victory.

The Mexico team started getting more attack minded, with Medina, Mendez and Oscar Bravo coming on to bolster the Mexican attack. Their attacking often meant all-out assault, and a horrific tackle left the scorer of the second goal, Da Marcus Beasley, being stretchered off the pitch.

The USA team held on through the last period of the match, with the Mexicans having several attempts at goal in the dying moments. Jared Borgetti, Mexico's all time record goal-scorer, had the ball played to him time after time, and apart from a loosely connecting header, he in no way troubled Keller in goal.

The USA held out until the final whistle, with Da Marcus Beasley, having recovered, missing out on a glorious one-on-one with the Mexican keeper, to take a glorious victory over their local nemesis, and the much prized-place in the FIFA World Cup Finals next year, for a part in "The Greatest Show on Earth".

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