Mexico can breathe, for the moment. Raúl Jiménez paid the debt of doubts about his role as a starter and scored the goal for the Tricolor via penalty, which left the score 1-0 against Panama. With this result, Mexico remains in third place in the classification with 21 points, takes off from Panama and ties the United States in the Octagonal table.
The Mexican from Wolverhampton charged the penalty without power, but strategically at minute 80, after a foul committed on Diego Lainez, who entered the substitution for Hirving Lozano. Chucky left the field on a stretcher and later in an ambulance, due to a blow to the arm when he fell in the dispute for the ball against Panamanian Michael Murillo.
Coach Gerardo Martino refreshed his lineup proposal with six changes, being his initial trident Lozano-Jiménez-Alexis Vega. In the first half, Jiménez’s goal disallowed due to an advanced position was the sensation closest to celebration. However, his role during this period was also about spikes and missed receptions.
At six minutes he had his first opportunity, after Alexis Vega leaked the ball that he could not lead to the goal. Vega found himself very close to scoring in the 20th minute, but his shot flew. Hirving Lozano was looking for Jiménez in the center, who half an hour into the match, made the few public authorized to enter the Azteca stand up, but the shot left it in the hands of the goalkeeper.
The Panamanians created danger with set pieces and the arrivals of Eric Davis, César Yanis and Adalberto Carrasquilla at Memo Ochoa’s goal.
Tata Martino relied on his trusted men or the generation with the most experience in decisive duels, including Andrés Guardado and Hector Herrera. The Atlético de Madrid player received a yellow card and this will not block his availability in the lineup against the United States. So far in the qualifying process, activity has been lost due to the accumulation of cards: Hirving Lozano, Edson Álvarez, César Montes, Luis ‘Chaka’ Rodríguez and Héctor Moreno.
With this victory, Tata Martino reduces the pressure of criticism towards his management for not managing the team with dynamism and the points they need to avoid being on the tightrope of the playoffs.
“The triumph is welcome, first because of what it means to be in the final stretch of the Qualifiers and brings us closer to a World Cup; secondly, this victory helps to regain confidence, especially for the group of footballers, to be able to play with less tension, because sometimes we decide badly in plays, at other times we define well, it is a product of the needs (…) I would love to play a game against the United States with a full stadium and cheering on Mexico”, said the Argentine coach in conference.
The Americans are a tough test, because they have beaten the Tricolor in the final of the Nations League (3-2) and Gold Cup (1-0) and last November, in their territory in a World Cup Qualifying duel with the popular ‘Two steel’.
Missing matches:
Date 12 – Thursday March 24
Mexico vs. United States (Aztec Stadium)
Date 13 – Sunday March 27
Honduras vs. Mexico (Metropolitan Olympic Stadium)
Date 14 – Wednesday, March 30
Mexico vs. El Salvador (Aztec Stadium)
