Team USA qualifies for seventh straight soccer World Cup

The United States clinched its seventh straight World Cup appearance Tuesday night, getting second-half goals from Eddie Johnson and Landon Donovan for a 2-0 home qualifying win over Mexico.

It was the fourth time that the U.S. has beaten Mexico by that score in Columbus, Ohio, since 2001.

"It's become its own monster. People want to come to Columbus and see U.S.-Mexico. And so it's almost like the mecca really for us," goalkeeper Tim Howard said. "You almost feel like it's our destiny to win here."

Noisy American fans stood and sang in Columbus Crew Stadium starting 1.5 hours before kickoff, and about 1,000 stayed for an hour after the final whistle. The U.S. needed a win or a tie from Honduras against Panama to clinch a World Cup place with two games to spare, and the American supporters watched on the videoboard as Honduras held on for a 2-2 draw.

U.S. players crowded around a television in their locker room, and then sprayed champagne and came back on the field to celebrate with the fans.

"It's great to do it sooner than later, but to get it against your rival is even sweeter," American captain Clint Dempsey said.

Following wins over Mexico in qualifiers by identical 2-0 scores at Columbus in 2001, 2005 and 2009, the U.S. Soccer Federation picked the same venue for this year's match. The capacity crowd of 24,584 taunted the Mexicans with chants of "You're not going to Brazil!"

"Amazing, amazing crowd," U.S. coach Jurgen Klinsmann said. "Kind of pushed these guys."

Fans were so loud during "The Star-Spangled Banner" that anthem singer Kayleigh Schofield was forced to alter her tempo to match that of the crowd.

"I think it really got into Mexico's head, especially when we scored that first goal. You could see it on Mexico's face. They were really defeated," American defender Omar Gonzalez said. "From that point on we really took control of the game."

"Obviously this is a huge, huge evening for all of us," Klinsmann said. "It's a huge milestone whenever you make it to a World Cup."

Now the Americans can take it easy in the final two qualifiers, against Jamaica on Oct. 11 at Kansas City, Kan., and at Panama four days later. Exhibitions are likely at Scotland and Austria in November.

Klinsmann won the World Cup as a player with Germany in 1990 and coached his native country to the 2006 semifinals. He's lived in California for 15 years and understands the accomplishment.

As he spoke during his postgame news conference, he had a coffee cup in front of him, presumably filled with champagne.

"It's not Aquafina," he said, laughing.

Al Jazeera and The Associated Press