Pre-Game Primer: The Final

All you need to know about Sunday's final against Mexico. Some things you should know:

• Defender Clarence Goodson became the tenth U.S. player to score a goal during the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup and the sixth U.S. player to get his first national team goal during the tournament in the 2-0 win against Honduras.
• The U.S. has advanced to the finals in the last three editions of the tournament. The last time the U.S. missed out on a Gold Cup final was in 2003 when Bruce Arena's team fell to Brazil in the semifinals.
• The U.S. has a lifetime record of 15-29-11 against Mexico in a series that dates to 1934, but the U.S. has a 13-6-9 advantage in home matches since 1957. Since the rivalry between these two teams began in earnest in 1990, the sides have played 28 times, with the U.S. holding a 13-7-8 advantage.
• The U.S. has a 3-0-2 lifetime record at Giants Stadium, with 10 goals scored and only one surrendered.
• The last meeting against Mexico at Giants Stadium came June 11, 2000, when goals from Frankie Hejduk, Brian McBride and Ante Razov helped the USA to a 3-0 victory.
• The U.S. is 2-2-0 against Mexico in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, including 1-2-0 in championship games.
• In six CONCACAF Gold Cup final appearances, the United States is 2-2-2. The two draws, in 1997 and 2005, both resulted in a USA victory in a penalty shootout.
• The Men's National Team has contested a Gold Cup final at Giants Stadium once before, beating Panama in a penalty shootout on July 24, 2005, to lift the Gold Cup trophy.
• Jimmy Conrad and Santino Quaranta both appeared in that match, with Quaranta netting one of the penalties to secure the U.S. win.
• The USA's last appearance at Giants Stadium came June 8, 2008, when Bob Bradley's team played then No.1-ranked Argentina to a 0-0 draw in front of more than 78,000 supporters.
  
• Ching is the only player on the current roster that was part of the team that won the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup.