Maybe the United States men’s national soccer team didn’t deserve to beat Mexico on Sunday night in the Gold Cup Final.
But they earned the opportunity to try.
Midway through the second half, a U.S. attack into the box resulted in a clear hand put down on the ball in the penalty area.
The hand stopped the ball from squirting back toward a U.S. player. It didn’t appear to be intentional, but it clearly impacted the path of the ball.
No penalty was given on the field.
And while the video assistant referee looked at the play, nothing was changed.
Reminder that no handball was given for this. pic.twitter.com/I382LRkAbM
— USMNT Only (@usmntonly) July 7, 2025
That’s a tough call live, depending on where the referee is positioned. But that’s what the VAR is for.
Would it have been an unlucky penalty given against Mexico? Sure. But it would’ve been tough to argue.
Mexico beat the United States, 2-1, on a goal that needed offside to be overturned by the thinnest of margins to allow a goal to count.
If VAR had called in on this one, too, the teams might’ve kept on playing well into the night.
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