Overview

• Chris Richards gave the U.S. a 1-0 lead in the fourth minute with a header off a Sebastian Berhalter free kick.
• Raúl Jiménez equalized for Mexico in the 27th minute, and Edson Álvarez headed home the winner from a set piece in the 77th minute.
• More than 70,000 fans at NRG Stadium overwhelmingly supported Mexico, underscoring the city’s large Mexican-American population.
• Both teams bypassed World Cup qualifying as 2026 co-hosts, making this their final meaningful competitive fixture before the tournament.
• Mauricio Pochettino and Javier Aguirre will use the final’s outcome to assess their squads as they prepare for next summer’s global showpiece.