Mexico Coach Resigns After Loss to U.S.

Less than 24 hours after Mexico lost in soccer to the United States for only the third time since 1934, the Mexican coach resigned.

Although Mexico’s federation has not yet accepted the resignation, Coach Manuel Lapuente was not on the Coliseum sideline Sunday for the team’s 2-0 victory over Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup’s third-place game.

Criticized for his conservative tactics, Lapuente was booed by the largely pro-Mexican crowd of 41,103 at the Coliseum before Friday night’s semifinal game, which the United States won, 2-0.

In one Mexico City newspaper Saturday, the headline above the story of the game simply said: “WHAT?”

Accepting full responsibility, Lapuente said afterward that leaving the Gold Cup without the championship was a failure for Mexico.

Media speculation concerning Lapuente’s successor focused on former national team Coach Mario Velarde, Alberto Guerra from the University of Guadalajara and Miguel Mejia Baron from Pumas.