Ireland 2 Mexico 2

The US Cup has always been unkind to the Irish over the years and it looked like it was going to be no different this year as Mick McCarthy's team opened their three-match campaign against a very weak Mexican team.

Ireland went into the game on Saturday night at Chicago's Soldier Field Stadium with a seriously depleted team but the Mexicans started with a club team, Pumas plus a couple of guests.

The Mexicans played above everybody's expectations and had the Irish visibly rattled early on. They took a deserved lead in the 38th minute when Osorno received the ball from Perez on the edge of the box and cut past Stephen Carr before rifling past Dean Kiely with the aid of a deflection off Gary Breen.

Irish captain Niall Quinn could have pulled the Irish level just before the break but his header hit the post and bounced back into the Mexican goalkeeper's hands. Ireland looked down and out when Mexico doubled their lead in the 54th minute.

Osorno was picked out with a great pass from midfielder Tarrado and the forward crossed low into the box to give Sanchez an easy finish.

The hallmarks of an embarrassing defeat loomed until Ireland won a corner on the hour mark. McAteer floated the ball into the back post and Gary Breen returned it to the middle where his defensive partner Richard Dunne was waiting. The Everton man coolly side-footed the ball into the back of the Mexican net.

The goal lifted the Irish and they drew level in the 72nd minute after the best move of the game. Jason McAteer picked up the ball in midfield, composed himself and allowed runners to make their moves.

Stephen Carr took the invitation and motored down the right, McAteer spotted the run and picked out the Tottenham full-back with a perfectly weighted ball.

Carr burst into the box and when expected to shoot he pulled the ball back to half-time substitute Dominic Foley and the big forward made no mistake from ten yards for his first international goal of many.

Mexico could have stolen the game late on but for the agility of Dean Kiely in the Irish goal. The Charlton goalkeeper made a point-blank save from a Beltran header and followed that up with a fine tip over from a Galindo free-kick.