Mexico leads the USA 1-0 at halftime of the Gold Cup championship match in Los Angeles. Before a sellout, pro-Mexico crowd, Necaxa’s Luis Hernandez scored the lone goal on a blistering header in the 43rd minute. The play developed after Javier Lozano stole the ball from Alexi Lalas in midfield and passed it to Salvador Carmona on the right flank. Hernandez timed an interior run with Carmona’s progress down the side and beat Lalas to the perfectly delivered cross and sent a bullet to the far post, leaving Kasey Keller no chance. In an ill-tempered half marred by extremely physical play and several altercations (including a near-scuffle between Cuautehmoc Blanco and Jeff Agoos), neither team looked particularly dangerous. Eric Wynalda had a goal disallowed for offside in the 14th minute, and Blanco was unlucky to have his nifty 33rd-minute chip over Keller waved off for the same offense. Roy Wegerle had a fine opportunity early for the U.S., when Wynalda headed a cross back across the goalmouth, but the D.C. United forward was unable to connect with a high kick.at the ball. Eddie Pope sent a searing header just over the crossbar off of a 26th-minute corner kick. The U.S. had four corner kicks in the half, while Mexico had none.