However, South Africa elected to use the U.S. Cup to give several younger players international experience and therefore did not bring its full senior team.
He quickly fired Hugo Enrique Kiese, chief of the national team commission and the official most responsible for Mexico's three-year contract with USSF.
Finally, FIFA had pressured CONCACAF to alter its World Cup qualification schedule, making the games earlier than anticipated.
This meant that Mexican players, coming from their domestic league schedule, would have no time to rest before beginning a World Cup qualification campaign.
De la Torre brought Kiese back into the Mexican Federation and sent him to break the news to USSF, Mexico would send its "national team", but it would look a lot like the UNAM Pumas.
While the United States team had typically drawn well at RFK Stadium in the past, only 16,750 fans arrived for a game played on a clear, 78 °F (26 °C) day.
United States - Kasey Keller; Tony Sanneh, Carlos Llamosa, Jeff Agoos, David Regis; Earnie Stewart (Steve Ralston 82'), Chris Armas, Claudio Reyna (captain), Eddie Lewis (Ben Olsen 66'); Brian McBride (Ante Razov 70'), Cobi Jones (Jason Kreis 84') South Africa - Andre Arendse; Cyril Nzama, Pierre Issa, Andrew Rabutla, David Kannemeyer (Jacob Lekgetho 73'); Helman Mkhalele, Dumisa Ngobe, Thabo Mngomeni, Ivan McKinley (Delron Buckley 33'); Benedict McCarthy (George Koumantarakis 73'), Shaun Bartlett (captain) The second game began one day later in Chicago's Soldier Field where Mexico and Ireland played to a 2-2 tie.
Ireland - Dean Kiely, Stephen Carr, Terry Phelan, Gary Breen, Richard Dunne (Phil Babb 82'), Jason McAteer, Matt Holland, Mark Kennedy, Barry Quinn (Kevin Kilbane 41'); Niall Quinn (captain), Robbie Keane (Dominic Foley 46') Mexico - Sergio Bernal, Joaquin Beltran, Christian Ramirez (Gilberto Jimenez 69'), Raul Alpizar, Israel Lopez, Gerardo Torrado, Luis Perez, Antonio Sancho (captain) (Gerardo Galindo 81'), Horacio Sanchez Aguirre, Luis Ignacio Gonzalez, Daniel Osorno Ireland and the United States played to a 1-1 draw in front of another disappointingly low turnout.
On the field, Ireland's Dominic Foley scored first, taking a feed from Stephen McPhail before slipping past United States defender C.J.
Earnie Stewart hit a clearly off-side Razov who scored as the Irish players stood still anticipating that the referee would whistle the ball dead.
Brown, Gregg Berhalter, Greg Vanney, Steve Ralston (Earnie Stewart 46'), John O'Brien (Claudio Reyna 60), Jovan Kirovski, Ben Olsen (Tony Sanneh 75'); Jason Kreis (Cobi Jones 65'), Ante Razov (Brian McBride 88') Ireland - Alan Kelly; Stephen Carr, Gary Breen, Phill Babb, Terry Phelan; Stephen McPhail (Jason McAteer 37'), Matt Holland, Gareth Farrelly (Mark Kennedy 72'), Kevin Kilbane, Gary Doherty (Niall Quinn 72'), Dominic Foley (Barry Quinn 88') Mexico met South Africa before 27,815 fans in the Cotton Bowl.
Mexico - Sergio Bernal, Joaquin Beltran, Christian Ramirez, Raul Alpizar, Israel Lopez, Gerardo Torrado, Luis Perez, Paulo Cesar Chavez (Carlos Cariño 68'), Jesus Olade (Horacio Sáchez 79'), Luis Hernandez (Luis Ignacio Gonzalez 68'), Daniel Orsono (Jaime Lozano 79') South Africa - Andre Arendse, Cyril Nzama, Fabian McCarthy, Pierre Issa, Jacob Lekgetho, Dumisi Ngobe (Thabo Mngomeni 71'), Helman Mkhalele (Arthur Zwane 85'), Godfrey Sapula, George Koumantarakis (Patrick Mayo 71'), Benni McCarthy, Delron Buckley Two games were played at Giants Stadium on the final day.
Ante Razov scored his second goal of the tournament, when he intercepted a poorly timed pass between Mexican defender Paul Cesar Chavez and his goalkeeper.
United States - Kasey Keller, Tony Sanneh, Carlos Llamosa (Gregg Berhalter 71'), Jeff Agoos, David Regis, Earnie Stewart (Frankie Hejduk 76'), Chris Armas, Claudio Reyna (captain), John O'Brien (Ben Olsen 64'), Brian McBride (Ante Razov 81'), Cobi Jones (Jovan Kirovski 89') Coach: Bruce Arena Mexico - Sergio Bernal, Joaquin Beltran, Israel Lopez (captain), Gerrado Torrado, Luis Perez (Luis Ignacio Gonzalez 66'), Paulo Cesar Chavez (Carlos Carino 85'), Horacio Sanchez Aguirre (Jaime Lozano 46'), Jesus Olalde, Christian Ramirez Raul Lapizar, Daniel Orsono (Ignacio Flores 77') Coach: Hugo Sánchez In the second game of the day, Ireland claimed the second spot in the Cup standings with a 2-1 victory over South Africa.
Ireland - Shay Given, Stephen Carr, Terry Phelan, Phil Babb, Gary Breen, Jason McAteer (Mark Kennedy 45'), Matt Holland, Stephen McPhail (Barry Quinn 86'), Alan Mahon (Kevin Kilbane 42'), Dominic Foley (Robbie Keane 46'), Niall Quinn (captain) South Africa - Andre Arendse, Cyril Nzama, Andrew Rabutla, Jacob Lekgetho, Aaron Mokoena, Quinton Fortune (Arthur Zwane 75'), Dumisi Ngobe (Patrick Mayo 46'), Helman Mkhalele (Thabo Mngomeni 75'), Benni McCarthy (Dillon Sheppard 46'), Delron Buckley (Godfrey Sapula 46'), Shaun Barlett (captain)