MEXICO IS, WITHOUT A DOUBT, the most successful team in CONCACAF and the biggest rival of the United States. El Tri lead the all-time series with the Americans 33-16-12, including a 4-2 thrashing at the 2011 Gold Cup final, and boast a 131-to-69 goal advantage. Mexico is also posting better results on the youth level, winning two recent Under-17 World Cups and taking home the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics. They are, simply put, a squad in the ascendancy and the favorite to win the final round of qualification after dominating the semifinals with six wins, zero losses, and an impressive +13 goal differential.

Part of the advantage is Azteca Stadium, the 100,000-person Mexico City fortress in which Mexico plays its home games. The venue is one of the most intimidating in international football because of the rabid fans, the altitude, and, let's face it, the pollution. But has Azteca lost a little luster? The United States scored first during a 2009 qualification match, defeated Mexico 1-0 in August 2012, and now believes it can prevail on Mexico's turf. El Tri should easily qualify for the World Cup, but the talented young team wants to win the Hexagonal. To do so, they may need to beat their biggest rivals in Mexico City and find a way to prevail in the Estados Unidos as well. CONCACAF's balance of power remains very much up in the air.