Raul Jimenez scored the first goal and assisted on the second to lead Mexico to a 2-0 friendly victory over the U.S. men’s national team on Tuesday night in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Cesar Huerta also scored for Mexico, which snapped a seven-match winless run (0-5-2) against the United States and handed new U.S. manager Mauricio Pochettino his first defeat in his second match in charge.
Mexico’s all-time appearances leader Andres Guardado received his 182nd and final cap. The 38-year-old Guadalajara native was subbed out in the 19th minute to an emotional ovation from fans in the city where his pro career began with Atlas.
With several U.S. regulars absent — including Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Timothy Weah and Folarin Balogun — the U.S. was outshot 17-5 overall and 5-1 in terms of efforts on target. With Pulisic in the fold, the Americans defeated Panama 2-0 in Austin, Texas, on Saturday.
It was the USMNT’s third time failing to score this year after a 1-0 friendly defeat to Slovenia in January and a 1-0 loss in its final Copa America clash against Uruguay on July 1.
Jimenez was once considered as crucial a contributor to Mexico as Pulisic to the USMNT. However, his 35th international goal Tuesday was the 33-year-old’s first for his country in more than a year, after he fell out of favor under previous manager Jaime Lozano.
The opening goal came in the 22nd minute, after the U.S. started promisingly despite failing to test goalkeeper Luis Malagon.
As Antonee Robinson tried to tackle the ball from Mexico’s Roberto Alvarado, the United States’ Aidan Morris was whistled for a foul a few yards outside the penalty area.
Jimenez struck the ensuing free kick perfectly, bending it over the U.S. defensive wall and into the top right corner just beyond the dive of Matt Turner.
That began a period of Mexican domination that extended through the remainder of the first half and into the second.
Jimenez was again involved when El Tri secured a second goal in the 49th minute.
U.S. defender Tim Ream recovered well initially to take the ball off Jimenez after he had run onto an excellent diagonal ball. However, as Ream attempted to play out of his own end on the dribble, Jimenez kept chasing and tackled the ball away.
It fell in a good position for Huerta, who dodged the challenge of another U.S. defender and drove a low shot between the diving Turner and the left post.
The U.S. team saw its all-time record in games vs. El Tri in Mexico fall to 1-24-4.
–Field Level Media
