JEONJU, South Korea — A deflating first-half goal and a missed hand ball infraction were critical in Mexico's 2-0 loss to the United States, Mexican players and coaches said Monday.
"I think we lost because the Americans got the first goal of the game. They had a lot speed today," striker Jorge Borgetti said. "We kept insisting, looking for a goal, but they held on."
Brian McBride and Landon Donovan scored on counterattacks, lifting the U.S. team to a quarterfinals berth and its best World Cup performance since 1930.
The Mexicans, confident coming into the match after a solid first-round showing that included a 1-1 tie with Italy, controlled most of the match but failed to get any shots past American goalkeeper Brad Friedel.
"We played very good football," Borgetti said. "But in football, you win by scoring goals, and we didn't score.
"The United States has a very good team, very fast with a very dangerous counterattack."
Dejected Mexico coach Javier Aguirre complained referees missed a hand ball infraction. It was a decision, he said, that helped shift momentum in the second half.
"They showed the replay on the big screen and we saw it, 40,000 fans saw it," he said.
In the 53rd minute, American midfielder John O'Brien, defending against a Mexican corner kick, jumped for a head ball with Luis Hernandez and appeared to punch the ball away.
No infraction was cited by the referee despite repeated protests from both Mexican players and Aguirre.
"We had an unfortunate decision by the linesman," Aguirre said. "And that's where the game began to really fall apart for us. Unfortunately, that's soccer."
Twelve minutes after the hand ball incident, Donovan scored on a header from just inside the 6-yard box off a cross from Eddie Lewis.
The second goal appeared to be too much for the Mexicans.
Aguirre said his team grew frustrated after repeated attacks were stifled by an American defense that closed in around the goal in the waning minutes of the match.
"They didn't want to play. Instead they worked to prevent us from playing our game," Aguirre said. "It worked. But it was markedly different from Ecuador, Italy and Croatia, which played and competed.
"We got scored on in the worst moment, and that totally changed the game for us."
Despite the loss, Aguirre said the Mexicans, whose qualifying campaign was filled with turmoil, had improved in this World Cup compared with past tournaments. Mexico was playing in its 12th World Cup.
"I'm proud of how we played," he said. "We came here hoping to show we have improved and we showed we are very competitive.
"But at the same time I'm sad, frustrated that we didn't get to the quarterfinals at a time when he had a really good chance."