U.S. vs. Mexico: Soccer fans, don't expect to be taken by surprise

COLUMBUS, OHIO — There is something missing here, where the United States will play Mexico tonight in the first game of the final round of qualifying for soccer's 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The missing element is surprise.

Everything seems to be going along according to plan. The stadium is sold out, as expected. The weather will be cold and damp, as expected. The U.S. team is at virtually full strength and is favored to keep alive its streak of not having lost to Mexico in the U.S. in almost a decade.

Mexico is the underdog, having struggled of late. If it loses, as many predict it will do, it will mean the fifth game in a row without a win for "El Tri," and that could cost Coach Sven-Goran Eriksson his job.

But even that would not be a surprise. The Swede has been under pressure since he arrived last June, and now there are two high-profile coaches that are waiting in the wings to replace him -- former Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, who was dismissed last week by Atletico Madrid, and former Brazil and Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, who was fired Monday by Chelsea.

But Eriksson's fate is just a sideshow. It's the game itself that is crying out for an edge, for a bit of controversy, a bit of drama.

This might be the region's best soccer rivalry, but there seems to be nothing compelling about tonight's match, perhaps because it is only the first of 10 that each team, along with other CONCACAF finalists El Salvador, Costa Rica, Trinidad and Tobago and Honduras, will play this year as they seek a place in the World Cup.

Even the players are not providing any bulletin board material.

"I'm not doing any trash talking," U.S. defender Oguchi Onyewu said. "What I say is the truth, and it's not a lie to say that they're a quality team.

"Any real player who is passionate about his sport gets up for these kinds of games when you're playing a high-level competitor, and Mexico's definitely that. They have players who play in very good clubs around the world and a top coach.

"I have nothing against their national team. They have quality all across their lineup."

Bob Bradley, the U.S. coach, has gone out of his way -- at least in public -- not to fan any flames. There is no reason he should.

On paper, the U.S. should prevail, Eriksson not having lighted a fire under Mexico since his arrival.

"I think the style is the same," Bradley said. "I think the talent is there. We know it will be a good game.