U.S. vs. Mexico winners and losers

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- From the moment the draw was made for Hexagonal qualifying, it was clear that the opening game between the United States and Mexico would be critical for both of CONCACAF's two biggest fish.

A 2-0 victory and three points gave the U.S. a dream start -- and the one-sided contest provided its share of winners and losers.

Here is our list of those who gained and lost the most Wednesday night in Columbus.

Winner: Michael Bradley

Even without scoring the only two goals of the game, Bradley was a dominant force in midfield and his efforts helped the home side dictate the pace throughout. Displaying a confidence he has not always shown for the national side, Bradley had a breakthrough night and proved he has the ability to make a game-changing difference at this level.

Loser: Sven-Goran Eriksson

These are bleak times for Eriksson, whose job as Mexico coach is now in extreme peril after the latest in a series of dire performances. It has not taken long for the Mexican public to come to the conclusion that he is totally the wrong man for the job -- and they can't wait to see the back of him.

Winner: Sunil Gulati

U.S. Soccer's president gave up around $1 million in revenue to stage the game in Columbus rather than a big NFL stadium and saw his decision justified spectacularly. Columbus came out in force to create a strong pro-U.S. atmosphere and Crew Stadium was rocking by the end of a successful night. Oh yeah, and the cold and windy weather didn't hurt, either.

Loser: Kenny Cooper

The FC Dallas forward has designs on the main striker's role for the U.S. His cause was not helped by a strong and largely mistake-free performance by Brian Ching, who is coach Bob Bradley's favored choice. The Houston Dynamo front man boosted his stock further in Columbus.

Winners: Javier Aguirre and Portsmouth

Eriksson's exit would clear the way for Aguirre to return to the job he occupied from 2001 to 2002, when he took Mexico to the last 16 of the World Cup in Japan and South Korea. It would also allow Portsmouth to bring in Eriksson as the replacement for Tony Adams, who was fired last weekend. The English Premier League club has already acquired Eriksson's former England assistant Brian Kidd as its No. 2.

Loser: Giovani Dos Santos

In the space of a year, Gio has gone from being one of world soccer's most highly touted young talents to being in danger of dropping off the radar altogether. The 19-year-old has been useless with Tottenham in the EPL, and he missed two golden opportunities to get Mexico back in the game.

So who do you think were the big winners and losers from Wednesday night's game? Share your thoughts and comments below.