CHICAGO, IL--After eight days of spirited competition from coast to coast, the first-ever WMF World Cup will come down to the finals matchup that was dreamed of and anticipated from the beginning: U.S. vs. Mexico.

Kraig Chiles netted two goals with two assists and Brian Harris scored twice as Team USA defeated Romania 7-3 in the second WMF World Cup semifinal from the Sears Centre Arena in suburban Chicago, Illinois. The United States built a 5-0 lead at halftime and extended to 6-0 in the fourth quarter before pulling the parachute and preparing for Sunday's grand final.

"It's going to be a physical game, a high scoring game, and we're looking forward to it," said U.S. head coach Phil Salvagio of the upcoming showdown with Mexico, who needed three extra rounds of shootouts to prevail over Brazil in extra time 6-5. 

Saturday night's game featured Romania, the European Mini-Football champions of 2014, playing in front of a boisterous and sizable pro-Romanian fan contingent that left the U.S. players wondering if they were in Bucharest instead of Chicago. Team USA defused the fan energy less than four minutes into the contest, when Chiles found his San Diego Sockers teammate Chiky Luna alone in the crease for a one-time deflection and a 1-0 lead. 

In their fifth game playing together, Team USA showed their growth in the second quarter by converting a power play as well as a pair of set pieces. Brian Harris opened the quarter scoring a power play goal by knocking home the rebound of his own low post shot just thirteen seconds into the action. Later he and fellow Missouri Comet John Sosa linked up on assists to Chiles for back-to-back restart goals to push out the lead to 5-0 at halftime. 

"Hats off to Romania, they're a great team in Europe, coming halfway across the world to play us, and they had a bit of a home field advantage with the fans," said Harris, "We had to slow down the pace a little bit and turn things back into our favor."

The physical play ramped up in the third quarter while the scoreline remained the same, as the United States' Gordy Gurson absorbed a big blow at midfield from Romania's Adrian Calugarenu. While Gurson earned revenge with a fourth quarter goal on a Matt Clare assist, Calugarenu took advantage of a less than motivated U.S. defense down the stretch to net a brace in the defeat. 

Evan McNeley added a goal for the United States, his third of the tournament. Chiles leads all WMF World Cup performers with eight goals and seven assists in five games.

And so, the stage is set for the U.S.-Mexico showdown that was dreamed about ever since the 2013 announcement of the WMF World Cup. In a preseason exhibition back in October, Mexico prevailed over Team USA 11-10 in overtime. Sunday's 5pm Central Time showdown will be for a World Cup. 

"You watch Mexico play Brazil, and it was a battle," said Harris, "They're going to come out with tremendous passion and tremendous pace. I can't wait for it."

The game will be broadcast live on golivesportscast.com beginning at 3pm Pacific Time, 6pm Eastern Time.