Mexico wanted to beat Ecuador of their ultimate Group B match to advance to the Copa America knockout stage, however all they may handle was a 0-0 draw. They practically discovered a lifeline within the ultimate seconds of added time when the referee initially awarded Mexico a penalty however after reviewing the video the decision was overturned.
Mexico managed to attain only one aim in 270 minutes throughout group play in a dismal match for the 2026 World Cup co-hosts. In the direction of finish of Sunday’s recreation, three bulletins had been additionally revamped the tannoy at State Farm Stadium warning followers to cease a discriminatory chant. A press release warning the referee had the precise to droop the match if the homophobic slur continued was additionally proven in Spanish on the large display.
GO DEEPER
Mexico vs Ecuador threatened with stoppage over homophobic chanting
And Ecuador’s prize for holding off Mexico? A quarterfinal date with world champions Argentina in Houston on July 4.
Stuart James and Thom Harris assess the important thing speaking factors…
Will Argentina be fearful by what they noticed on this match?
Nerves? Possibly. Sufficient to fret Argentina? Completely not.
This was a must-win recreation for Mexico, and one which Ecuador would have reasonably not left to likelihood, however for lengthy spells of a scrappy, tetchy recreation, it seemed as if neither facet actually had what it took. Poor first touches, aimless lengthy balls, slips, falls and fouls, a goalless opening 45 minutes specifically had all of it.
A passage of play on the half-hour mark summed it up, as Alan Franco needlessly bounced a five-yard go as much as Piero Hincapie’s chest. The left-back had no alternative however to regulate, and volley it wildly down the road. Two minutes later, the normally pristine Bayer Leverkusen centre-back skewed one other lengthy ball horribly out of play. When Ecuador did break into the ultimate third – like they did with Enner Valencia on 80 minutes – it was baffling decision-making that allow them down.
Alexander Dominguez celebrates after sealing Ecuador’s place within the quarter-finals (Steph Chambers/Getty Photographs)
Mexico weren’t bursting with concepts both, and though they noticeably upped the depth within the second half as their want for a aim grew to become larger, the most effective possibilities arrived from set-pieces, penalty-box pinball and moments of individualism, reasonably than something manufactured within the dressing room. A 96th-minute penalty, finally overturned by VAR, would have been probably the most dramatic get-out-of-jail card of the competitors.
With the defending world champions awaiting within the subsequent spherical, issues must be tidied up. Argentina have saved clear sheets in seven of their final eight aggressive video games, and will definitely not be damaged down with out a extra intricate plan.
Santi Gimenez’s goalless group stage
Misplaced causes. Santiago Gimenez spent loads of time chasing these on one other irritating night for the Mexico striker, who leaves the Copa America with out a aim to his title and his barren streak for his nation prolonged to 12 matches.
It was not for an absence of making an attempt. A header that sailed inches over within the first half was adopted by a right-footed shot that hit the surface of the put up within the second interval. In between instances, Gimenez by no means stopped working the channels, looking for out the lengthy balls that Mexico hoped would convey some pleasure.
(Steph Chambers/Getty Photographs)
His massive likelihood had come within the earlier recreation, towards Venezuela, and also you marvel how otherwise issues may need turned out for Gimenez if he had cleanly related in entrance of aim in Los Angeles.
Prolific in a Feyenoord shirt, the 23-year-old has been unable to switch that kind to worldwide soccer. Inevitably, questions will likely be requested in Mexico in regards to the choice to depart Henry Martin and Raul Jimenez, two skilled strikers, at dwelling. However the high quality of Mexico’s attacking play extra usually steered that any centre ahead would have struggled to make a lot of an influence right here.
GO DEEPER
The curious case of Santiago Gimenez: Wanted in Europe but struggling at Copa
What went unsuitable for Mexico?
The frustration will linger for a while for Mexico, whose hopes of reaching the quarter-finals of the Copa America had been extinguished in predictable vogue.
Predictable as a result of Mexico have carried so little attacking risk, with their solitary match aim scored by the left-back Gerardo Arteaga in a gap recreation towards Jamaica that feels a very long time in the past now.
Defeat towards Venezuela, when Orbelin Pineda missed a penalty, meant that El Tri wanted to beat Ecuador to progress – an consequence that not often seemed seemingly in a recreation that uncovered Mexico’s limitations. They huffed and puffed however there was a evident lack of high quality.
Mexico didn’t progress from the group stage on the 2011 and 2015 Copa America tournaments however this newest setback will harm. On the face of it, Mexico had a sort draw, but they had been nonetheless unable to discover a well beyond two second-tier CONMEBOL nations.
The concentration is going to now fall on Jaime Lozano, the coach who had been assured that he would stay in place till the tip of the 2026 World Cup. Will elimination within the group stage right here immediate a rethink?
Johan Vasquez dejected after Mexico’s elimination is sealed (Chris Coduto/AFP through Getty Photographs)
What’s subsequent for every workforce?
Argentina vs. Ecuador — Thursday, July 4, 9:00 p.m. ET (NRG Stadium, Houston, TX)
Mexico is eradicated from the match.
What did the managers say?
Ecuador coach Felix Sanchez on dealing with Argentina: “They’re defending world champions, Copa America champions, and so they have the most effective gamers on the planet, enjoying at the most effective golf equipment on the planet. They’ve a stable group, and have developed a transparent thought below the identical coach (Lionel Scaloni)… We’re going to should play an ideal recreation, however we go into it motivated. It’s 11 vs 11 and we’re going to do all the pieces we probably can.”
Mexico coach Jaime Lozano on his future: “Everytime you don’t obtain your targets there are going to be doubts, but when the gamers believed till the tip it’s for a motive, it’s not simple to create that union, this circle and this dedication that they’d for seven weeks earlier than and through this competitors. There’s a course of and others will resolve what occurs subsequent however for me it’s clear that we went out and had been protagonists.”
Lozano on what’s lacking for Mexico: “We now have improved loads defensively, however now now we have to seek out that stability and work on that persistence, that ultimate contact within the attacking third. We’ve gained loads from these gamers on this match and it’s an expertise that can assist us.”
Required studying
(High picture: Chris Cuduto/AFP through Getty Photographs)
