Mexico vs USA: El Tri inflicts ‘Dos a Cero’ on Pochettino

GUADALAJARA, Mexico — The primary battle between Mexico supervisor Javier Aguirre and new United States males’s nationwide group boss Mauricio Pochettino led to a 2-0 victory for El Tri on Tuesday, snapping a seven-game winless streak for Mexico in opposition to their northern rivals.

The USMNT, enjoying away from residence and with out numerous key figures (Weston McKennie and Christian Pulisic had been despatched residence early), struggled in opposition to the backdrop of a hostile crowd on the Estadio Akron. By the twenty second minute, that stress grew considerably after Fulham striker Raúl Jiménez continued his wealthy vein of kind to place the house facet up 1-0 with a mesmerizing free kick.

Regardless of a few substitutions at halftime, the USMNT discovered itself in a fair deeper gap shortly after the beginning of the second half. Due to a Forty ninth-minute purpose from César Huerta, which was assisted by Jiménez, the hosts doubled their lead and despatched the Estadio Akron crowd right into a frenzy. In response, the USMNT had little to supply.

With each coaches lately kicking off tenures with their respective nationwide groups, the consequence marks a step ahead for Aguirre, who now has a 2W-2D-0L report in his third spell in cost. Pochettino, however, is 1W-0D-1L in his begin with the USMNT. — Cesar Hernandez

No stars, simply stripes for the USMNT

Realistically talking, this wasn’t the very best USMNT that was despatched to Mexico. Injured stars resembling Tyler Adams, Sergiño Dest, Giovanni Reyna and Chris Richards had been all unavailable for choice.

Then, over the weekend, information emerged that Christian Pulisic, Ricardo Pepi, Weston McKennie, Marlon Fossey and Zack Steffen would all return to their golf equipment early, lacking the Mexico recreation. Whereas Pulisic was coping with load administration, the opposite 4 had been recovering from slight accidents.

All that stated, even in Mexico, the USMNT had been anticipated to be extra aggressive. All through the match, El Tri was asking practically the entire questions because it amped up attacking stress and amassed 12 pictures inside the first half alone. As for the USMNT, its first shot on the right track did not arrive till the sixty fourth minute.

Barring the extremely unlikely state of affairs that Pochettino will be capable to persistently depend on a totally match squad, Tuesday’s match showcased the work that is wanted to uplift and encourage numerous alternate options that had been poor in opposition to Mexico. — Hernandez

Pep was proper: Jiménez is again

Manchester Metropolis supervisor Pep Guardiola was forward of the curve when he warned that “Raúl is again” after the latest 3-2 win over Fulham within the Premier League. His efficiency on Tuesday in opposition to the USA undoubtedly confirms that.

The previous Wolverhampton Wanderers striker guided Mexico towards its first win over its greatest rival in 5 years and gave Pochettino his first blemish as USMNT boss. Within the course of, he earned postmatch reward from Coach Aguirre for being a “chief” and “a vital participant” for his group.

Jiménez did a little bit of all the things on Tuesday. Not solely did he rating for the primary time in over a 12 months with El Tri, however he additionally confirmed off his whole repertoire on the Estadio Akron pitch: a bicycle-kick try, loads of dribbles, aptitude when making an attempt passes and a flashy help.

It was greater than sufficient to assist Mexico defeat the USA by probably the most damning of scorelines inside the rivalry: dos a cero. — Omar Flores

Dos a Cero strikes once more

The US repeatedly mocks Mexico with the “Dos a Cero” chant, referencing the varied occasions the Stars and Stripes have triumphed over their rivals with that scoreline.

The story started in 2002, when the American group famously eradicated El Tri from the FIFA World Cup within the spherical of 16 with a 2-0 victory. Aguirre cited that match as one among solely two occasions he had ever cried in soccer, labeling it one among his worst moments in his profession as a coach.

Since that night time, the USA has gone on to beat Mexico 2-0 on a number of events to maintain the lore of the mantra alive, however on Tuesday night time in Guadalajara, Mexico flipped the script for the primary time since 1997. — Lizzy Becherano

Guardado will get a hometown goodbye

Mexico’s legendary midfielder received an ideal night time on which to say goodbye to worldwide soccer in his hometown on Tuesday, exiting after 18 minutes in a transparent ode to his most popular jersey quantity.

Andrés Guardado first burst onto the scene as a lanky 19-year-old in 2005, introduced on by eagle-eyed Ricardo La Volpe, Mexico’s supervisor on the time, as a gifted huge participant who famously held his personal within the 2006 World Cup finals in opposition to Argentina. Over the course of 20 years, Guardado has was the Mexican embodiment of Whole Soccer, a multifaceted participant who has taken on a number of roles and positions throughout his illustrious profession.

For 17 straight years, El Principito carried his nation’s flag throughout European pitches as one among Mexican soccer’s most well-known ambassadors. A revered determine for Deportivo La Coruña, PSV Eindhoven, and Actual Betis, Guardado — now with León in Liga MX — can be well-respected amongst Mexican followers for resisting the urge to exit Europe in favor of MLS. It was solely becoming that Guardado shut the e book on his nationwide profession in opposition to the USA, his nation’s greatest rival and a group he helped defeat in two Gold Cup finals and the 2015 Concacaf Cup.

At 38, Guardado may very nicely preserve going on the worldwide stage, a testomony to each his evergreen expertise and Mexico’s fraught current as they give the impression of being to stay aggressive forward of the 2026 World Cup. — Eric Gomez

Mexico’s roadshow of stadiums working a deal with

The Mexican nationwide group returned to Guadalajara for the primary time in 14 years on Tuesday. El Tri often hosts worldwide matches on the Estadio Azteca in Mexico Metropolis, hardly ever exploring completely different components of the nation. However whereas the long-lasting Azteca undergoes refurbishments forward of the 2026 World Cup, the Mexican Soccer Federation sought to play the October friendlies in Puebla and Guadalajara in hopes to reconnect with the fan base. And it labored on Tuesday night time.

From the opening kickoff, followers contained in the Estadio Akron established a vibrant environment. As the USA beginning lineup echoed all through the stadium, followers booed every passing identify. However when the Mexican names rang, the cheering and chanting nearly drowned out the announcer. By the preliminary whistle, the “Mexico, Mexico” track consumed supporters. The Mexican nationwide group has gone via varied modifications since final enjoying in Guadalajara in September 2014, dropping tournaments, failing through the 2024 Copa America and getting knocked out of a number of World Cups, but the followers had been clearly ready to welcome the group again with open arms.

Within the twenty second minute, as Jiménez’s free kick discovered the again of the web, the stadium exploded right into a frenzy. From the criticized “silent” nights on the Estadio Azteca to Tuesday’s electrical night time on the Estadio Akron, it appears the fan base has not but deserted El Tri as many have prompt. — Becherano

Cheers (and jeers) for Mexico in Guadalajara

Pochettino and his employees had been left rightfully questioning why, within the second half, there have been ample boos for Mexico midfielder Alexis Vega as he entered the sphere of play. The group in Guadalajara was there for El Tri, however they positively stored their tender spot intact for ordinary residence group Chivas. Vega, a former Chivas participant who exited the membership acrimoniously, was not the one goal of Estadio Akron’s ire over the course of the match.

Membership América and USMNT attacker Alejandro Zendejas was focused as he entered within the second half. The Mexican gamers appeared to reply in sort to Zendejas, a scuffle involving him and Tigres defender Jesús Angulo was in all probability probably the most pleasure the gang skilled throughout a listless latter half of the match.

The notorious anti-gay chant that has gotten Mexico in bother over the previous decade or so was additionally heard, although it was rapidly quelled as soon as Jiménez scored his free kick.

Jiménez, as soon as a mainstay for América throughout his Liga MX days, was spared by the pro-Chivas crowd, provided that he additionally supplied Huerta with an help for Mexico’s second.

Regardless of all this, the gang was subdued in comparison with different editions of the Mexico vs. USA rivalry — the truth that the pro-Mexican crowd skilled El Tri‘s first victory over the USA in 5 years positively helped. — Gomez

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How vital was Mexico’s win over the USMNT?

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Malagón jumps forward of Ochoa as Mexico’s No. 1

Who would begin in purpose for Mexico was maybe Aguirre’s best-kept secret within the lead as much as Tuesday’s match. El Vasco held his playing cards near his chest proper up till starters had been introduced, and ultimately Luis Ángel Malagón received the nod to start out in opposition to the USMNT in favor of Guillermo Ochoa — a choice that may show key forward of the group’s subsequent matches.

Ochoa was absent from the September friendlies as Aguirre had requested that each single participant on his radar have a membership — a prerequisite the previous Sevilla man didn’t fulfill at that exact time. Ochoa’s absence was taken benefit of by Malagón, who gained over Aguirre’s belief and obtained the chance to start out in opposition to the USA, a recreation during which he contributed with a key save.

Aguirre had stated previous to Tuesday’s match that this may be the final audition for gamers on the Mexican nationwide group’s radar, as November will current El Tri with the Concacaf Nations League quarterfinal matches in opposition to Honduras. Ochoa, who has since joined AVS within the Portuguese Primeira Liga, seems to have misplaced his beginning job and should now await his flip from the bench to start with of the most recent Aguirre period. — Flores

Early perception into how Poch’s USMNT will play

Scoreline apart, one main takeaway was what Pochettino is making an attempt to construct together with his new nationwide group.

Just like the match in opposition to Panama, there was a transparent try to defend in a 4-4-2 after which transfer ahead in assault via a 3-4-3 that relied on the agile Antonee Robinson to cowl an immense quantity of floor on the left flank.

The assault was fluid, and but they could not break down Mexico’s backline sufficient. All through the begin to the sport, the USMNT had been additionally mistiming tackles and never profitable as many second balls or recovering as a lot as Mexico.

On the sideline, Pochettino appeared quietly exasperated, making an attempt to determine a option to crack the code of the USMNT’s group that was lacking key figures. The excellent news is that issues did appear to enhance within the second half. With some contemporary faces launched by way of substitutions, the passing was faster as they made extra of an effort to maintain the ball extra in Mexico’s half of the pitch.

It is all nonetheless a piece in progress although for Pochettino. Whether or not he retains his 4-4-2 to 3-4-3 or mixes issues up going ahead, he’ll nonetheless want to check and tinker within the early days of his new nationwide group position. — Hernandez