Canada challenges Mexico, succumb to Guardado’s brace

Mexico passed their first real test tonight beating a gritty Canada team 3-1. Canada set up a good defensive game plan that frustrated El Tri’s attack for most of the game, but El Tri found a way to get the job done.

The injury bug continued to plague El Tata as in the 33^rd minute Erick Gutierrez went down after overextending himself on a non-contact defensive play. Gutierrez was subbed off a few moments later and had to be helped to the locker room as he was clearly in pain.

It wasn’t until the 39^th minute that Mexico finally broke Canada’s defense and got on the scoreboard. Antuna crossed a ball that deflected off a defender’s thigh and found Jimenez who took a quick right footed shot that Milan Borja was able to knock away. Unfortunately for him, the ball landed in front of Alvarado, who put his left foot thru it, hitting the crossbar before crossing the goal line.

Canada was close to shocking El Tri early in the second half as Bayern Munich’s Alphonso Davies found a loose ball near the outside of the box, dribbled on left side, and crossed a shot that came very close to the far post of Ochoa’s goal.

After the close call, Mexico regrouped and quickly found their reward. Andres Guardado, who was subbed on for an injured Gutierrez, found the ball about 30 yards out, taking a few dribbles and unleashed a thunderous left footed shot that curled into the top left corner of Canada’s goal.

With the game in hand, Nestor Araujo was too confident with the ball and lost it while taking on Jonathan David, who went into the box and crossed it to Lucas Cavallini to tap into the open goal and make it 2-1 in the 75^th minute.

Whatever hopes Canada had of a comeback came to end just two minutes later. Antuna had a great individual play down the right wing and passed it to Guardado, who received right and took a right footed shot that deflected of a Canadian defender, hit the left post and found its way in. This goal, tied Guardado with Luis Roberto Alves “Zague” at 12 goals in the Gold Cup.

While not the best game El Tri has played under El Tata, they got the result they needed and continue atop Group A. Mexico can clinch the top spot of the group with a tie versus the surprising Martinique that is coming off a 3-0 win over Cuba.