Posted by Here are my three takeaways from Mexico’s 3-2 win over regional rivals Costa Rica.
Mexico’s Subs Make The Difference
With interim coach Ricardo “el Tuca” Ferretti saving European-based stars such as Chucky Lozano for the second match of this international break against Chile, Mexico took the field with an all Liga MX lineup. Up against a more experienced Costa Rica outfit, nerves were on display from the Mexicans early on. Goalkeeper Gibran Lajud nearly let in a comedic own goal in the 10th minute when a simple back pass slipped under his right foot. Poor giveaways from center-back Jesús Angulo gave the Ticos multiple opportunities to run at the Mexican back line.
Although a spectacular Víctor Guzmán strike canceled out Joel Campbell’s 29th minute header, Mexico went into halftime 2-1 down after Bryan Ruíz cooly converted a penalty awarded when Josecarlos Van Rankin handled in the box. With Mexico facing the prospect of a third straight loss under Ferretti’s interim leadership, the Tigres coach changed things up at halftime. Henry Martín and Jürgen Damm were sent on for the second half in an effort to give Mexico more attacking impetus.
Martín was clearly eager to get involved, and sent a powerful long-range effort just over the bar at the beginning of the half. Although a botched counterattack suggested that Damm would turn in another frustrating performance bereft of end product, the Tigres man recomposed himself minutes later to set up the equalizer for Martín. After receiving the ball just outside the box on the right, Damm outfoxed his marker to get to the byline before delivering a perfectly dinked cross for Martín, who powered a header low past Keylor Navas. Martín had said in the lead-up to the match that he wants to be the main forward for Mexico looking forward to Qatar 2022, and he did his cause no harm here.
In addition to scoring, Martín also drew a penalty for Mexico midway through the second half. Fellow substitute Raúl Jímenez, who is finally receiving consistent playing time in Europe this season at Wolverhampton, stepped up to give Mexico the lead for the first time in the match. It was a lead they never looked like relinquishing, with Porto man and second-half substitute Jesús Corona looking dangerous on the left in the closing stages. With Mexico set to play a much more experienced lineup against Chile, this win served to boost the confidence of the younger Mexican players.
Guzmán a Feel Good Story For El Tri
The dearth of Mexican players at the top of the Liga MX goalscoring charts has long been a concern for Mexican national team supporters. However, the Apertura 2017 saw a new Mexican goalscorer appear. Even though he is a midfielder, Víctor Guzmán managed 8 goals for Pachuca that season, making him the top scoring Mexican player in the league.
Guzmán’s goal-scoring exploits seemed set to make him a member of Mexico’s traveling party for the 2018 World Cup. However, disaster struck for El Tri and Guzmán in round 4 of the Clausura 2018. In a match at Tigres’ Estadio Universitario, Guzmán suffered a torn ACL that took him out of consideration for the World Cup. Unsurprisingly, Guzmán has taken some time to recapture the form that made him one of Mexico’s most promising young talents before his injury. Yet, his performance in this match suggests that he is back to his best.
Starting in an attacking midfield position in the same stadium where he suffered that fateful ACL tear, Guzmán often popped up on the left or in the hole behind striker Ángel Zaldívar. His breathtaking equalizer on 33 minutes showcased the attacking instincts that make him a special player. Coming from deep, Guzmán made a late run into the box to get on the end of an inviting Van Rankin delivery. Even though he was unmarked, many players would have snatched at the chance. Guzmán, however, produced a composed side foot volley that curled into the top corner past a statuesque Navas.
In addition to his ability to get into the box and finish confidently, Guzmán demonstrated his positional versatility in the second half. Ferretti moved the Pachuca man back into a deep midfield position, where Guzmán looked to pick up the ball off the center-backs and start attacks. With the ability to play all over the midfield, it should not be long before Guzmán starts to attract serious interest from Europe.
Costa Rica Put Up a Fight But Lack Depth
In contrast to Mexico’s callow squad, Costa Rica fielded many of their most experienced players for this match. With Navas, Ruíz and Campbell all in the starting lineup, Costa Rica was clearly taking this friendly match seriously. With 14 players from their 2018 World Cup squad selected for these friendlies, the Ticos look set to bring about generational change at a much slower rate than Mexico.
Although Ruíz in particular provided moments of quality throughout the match, Costa Rica’s lack of depth became apparent in the second half. With Ruíz and Campbell off the field, Costa Rica struggled to create any chances of note when chasing the game at 3-2 down. Worryingly for the Ticos, Ruíz is 33, and it is unclear whether he will make it to Qatar 2022. In his absence, Costa Rica lack a creative player capable of making the difference in the final third.
Working in Costa Rica’s favor is their decision to hire former León and América coach Gustavo Matosas to lead the National Team into this summer’s Gold Cup and World Cup qualifying for Qatar. Although he was present at the match, Matosas will not officially take over the team until January. Nevertheless, Costa Rica have stolen a march on their prominent CONCACAF rivals. With Mexico, Honduras and the United States all yet to name a new head coach following the 2018 World Cup cycle, Costa Rica will have more time to adapt to a new coach, giving them the opportunity to build crucial understanding and coordination. This could be a huge advantage to a side that possess less quality than regional rivals Mexico and the United States, much less the international powerhouses that they could face at a World Cup.
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