The United States soccer team beat Mexico 2-0 on Friday in the seventh game of the Concacaf octagonal at the Qatar 2022 World Cup and both teams now share the lead in the provisional classification with 14 points.
After a first half in which there was little football, greater control of the ball by Mexico, and few scoring opportunities, which led to the break with a 0-0 tie, in the second half, the United States were the best team on the pitch thanks to the presence of Chelsea striker Christian Pulisic.
The same one that came out at minute 69 of the second half and at 74 scored a cross headed by Timothy Weah to break once again the defense of Mexico.
The 1-0 fell like a jug of cold water in the spirit and football of the players of Mexico, who did not know how to react, nor did the Argentine coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who directs the “Tri” make the changes that would have been made. brought the team to life.
If they were made by the United States coach Gregg Berhalter and had its fruit with the second goal, which reached the 85th minute through the midfielder, which culminated in a penetration of the attack by the Stars and Stripes team when the ball was bounced inside the area and only shot goalkeeper Memo Ochoa.
In this way, the United States sentenced the game and the great triumph that practically put it with a ticket in the Qatar 2022 World Cup, but above all, it maintained supremacy for the third consecutive game against Mexico after having beaten it this summer in the finals of the Concacaf Nations League and the Gold Cup.
But this time the victory was more forceful and with better football, despite the fact that Mexico came to the game with its best men in attack after the incorporation of striker Raúl Jiménez, who could never beat the best defense of the United States.
Berhalter, with a great midfield, outplayed Martino, who could never get “El Tricolor” to take the pressure off the American players and create their best football.
It is true that he had more ball possession, but once again the effectiveness of the goal was on the part of the Stars and Stripes team and Pulisic’s head made the difference.
Now Mexico will have to return to the path of victory when on Tuesday they face the Canadian team, third in the standings if they do not want to complicate their march in the octagonal.
While the United States will play as a visitor against Jamaica and a victory would leave it practically classified for Qatar 2022, after in Cincinnati, where the national team made its debut, it played the best match so far on the octagonal in the United States.
On the contrary, Mexico, which has the United States as if it were its home, continued without finding its way to the goal and that cost it for the first time in its history to suffer the third consecutive defeat against the Stars and Stripes team.
Datasheet:
2 – United States: Zack Steffen; DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman, Miles Robinson, Antonee Robinson; Yunus Musah (m.82, Kelly Acosta), Tyler Adams (Captain), Weston McKennie; Ricardi Pepi (m.82, Jesús Ferreira), Brenden Aaronson (m.69, Christian Pulisic) and Tim Weah (m.90 + 1, Chris Richards)
Coach : Gregg Belharter.
0 – Mexico: Guillermo Ochoa (Captain); Luis Rodríguez, Cata Domínguez, Johan Vázquez, Jesús Gallardo; Luis Romo (m.75, Héctor Moreno), Edson Álvarez (m.83, Rogelio Funes Mori), Héctor Herrera; Jesús Corona (m.75, Roberto Alvarado), Raúl Jiménez and Hirving Lozano.
Coach: Gerardo Martino.
Goals: 1-0, m.74: Christian Pulisic. 2-0, m.85: Weston McKennie.
Referee: Salvadoran Iván Bartón admonished Luis Romo (m.45 + 1) and Luis Rodríguez (m.68) from Mexico. Miles Robinson (m.59 and 89, red), Zach Steffen (m.68) and Weston McKennie (m.68) were booked by the United States.
Incidents: Seventh game of the octagonal Concacaf qualifier for the Qatar 2022 World Cup that was played at the QTL Stadium in Cincinnati (Ohio) in front of more than 26,000 spectators.