After two weeks of dominating smaller nations in the 2007 Gold Cup, the United States took home gold in the final today. Trailing Mexico 1-0 at halftime, the Americans never gave up and defeated their rivals from the south of the border 2-1.

When play began this afternoon from Soldier Field in Chicago the usual hard-knock fighting from Mexico and the USA was not visible. Both squads remained fairly calm throughout the first half unlike the routine shoving that North American soccer fan’s are used too. In the 44th minute Mexico was able to grab its’ first goal on American soil against the USA in 797 minutes. Mexican winger Andres Guadardo received a cross pass in the center of the defense to strike it home for the 1-0 lead. The score would remain the same as both nations went into half.

When Guatemalan referee Carlos Batres signaled for the second half to begin the intensity that the 60,000+ in Chicago were waiting for came alive. Possession after possession, Mexico and the USA were going after each others heads. That aggression lead to a penalty kick for the USA as Mexican defender Jonny Magallon tripped up Brian Ching in the box. Throughout the entire tournament Landon Donovan took the penalty kicks for the United States and he did it again today leveling the score to 1 -1.

With a little over a quarter time left in the match, it seemed as of someone from either nation would score. The energy from both sides never died down and the flow attack seemed to grow stronger. Finally in the late in the second half Benny Feilhaber silenced Mexico has he recovered a Donovan corner kick at the top of the box to volley it home for the go-ahead goal. Feilhaber’s strike is surely to become the one goal that people will remember when they look back on the tournament.

The United States has taken home two consecutive Gold Cup’s. The only thing different about this one, is that they were able to lock up a bid in the 2009 Confederations Cup which will be played in South Africa against other Confederation champions. The Americans are moving fast up the FIFA rankings, but they will have to continue this run into next week’s Copa America when they take on Argentina on Thursday.