Mexico is supposed to be the best team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup but they haven't looked like it. In spite of having players who played the past season at the very apex of European football (Osorio, Pardo for Stuttgart; Salcido for PSV Eindhoven ; Marquez for Barca ) they have looked anemic in their path through the group stage of this tournament. Hugo Sanchez may have been the greatest scorer in the history of his proud country, but his coaching career is looking a lot more like Magic Johnson's than Larry Bird's. And his team looks stressed out as a result. Mexico went into their semifinal match with Guadeloupe in front of a packed house at Soldier Field in Chicago with everything to lose and nothing to gain...

Guadeloupe, on the other hand, was playing for the chance to live a once-in-a-lifetime dream. The small Caribbean island is not a country and, as such, cannot be recognized by FIFA. Guadeloupe is a department of France. Some of France's greatest footballers (Henry, Thuram, Gallas) have roots there, but they naturally play for France. But Jocelyn Angloma , who was France's left back in Euro 96 and won the Champs League with Inter Milan, has, at age 41, decided to play for his native island and the Guada Boys have been enjoying quite a run through this tournament, which for them started in its earliest qualifying stages.

Mexico's problems are typical. Their national soccer team is national property and, as such, tends to involve way too much politics. Sanchez got the coaching job by defaming the team all the way into and through the last World Cup. They did poorly, so his ranting was justified and he took the job from Lavolpe. His solution to Mexico's problems was to re-instill pride by being an general asshole and by playing old warhorses like Jared Borghetti and Cuahutemoc Blanco, both of whom started Thursday night. That's like Bob Bradley inaugurating his drive towards World Cup 2010 by starting Reyna and McBride up front.

Mexico has always had trouble scoring at the international level. They play a ball-control style and like to possess the ball, moving it from side to side as they march upfield in battle array. The trouble is, that takes a long time, and so their forwards are rarely open. Mexico usually scores off of set pieces or from long range shots from their midfielders. They rarely knife through the defense and slot home open goals.

Last night they faced a resolute Guadeloupe, whose intent was to pack in the defense, play physically, and hope for grace on a counter attack. The plan nearly worked. Mexico played well down both wings, using their talented backs to get to the corners and swing in crosses. But Guadeloupe defended well in their last third. The crowd was fantastic. Chicago used to be a Polish town. It's Mexican now. Soldier Field was jam packed and everyone stood up the entire game, chanting, singing, banging on things, waving flags, and otherwise showing their national pride. But the longer the game went without a goal, the more you could see the players straining. Losing to Guadeloupe, or even going to extra time, would result in a public press pillory that American athletes can't even imagine.

The first half came and went. So did the first twenty-five minutes of the second half. Sanchez adjusted by taking off Guardado and putting in El Bofo, Chivas star Alfonso Bautista. Like Blanco, he is slow of foot but creative and strong on the ball. I like Guardado and think his slashing pace is what Mexico needs more of. But El Bofo played pretty well, nearly scoring a header from a Blanco cross. Guadeloupe's goalkeeper, El Grande Grandel, according to Univision, played well and made a few good stops.

Mexico's deliverance came in the 70th minute when Pavel Pardo collected a ball from 30 yards out and struck an inside-out sidewinder into the left upper corner, a beautiful goal. 1-0 Mexico.

The game got rougher. Guadeloupe was proud. Angloma might be old but he's not tired. He is a tough and classy player and he set the tone for his team by regulating on some Mexican players, at one point standing chest-to-chest with Bautista.

In the end, Guadeloupe couldn't penetrate the Mexican defense, which is, as usual, extremely good. Their backs, Salcido and Osorio, are fast and tackle well. Magallon did well in the middle and Pardo is a solid field general. It's the attacking third that remains trouble for El Tri.

The good news, after two suspect semifinal matches, is that the US and Mexico will rejoin pitched combat in the next installment of the War For Aztlan on Sunday at Soldier Field. The match will mean pride and glory for the winner. And shame for the loser. A shame that will leave a heavy mark on the professional futures of coaches Hugo Sanchez and Bob Bradley .