Mexico fell 3-2 to Colombia at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California on Tuesday, as goals from Wílmar Barrios and Luis Sinisterra overshadowed El Tri’s dominant first half performance.
Chivas de Guadalajara player Alexis Vega opened up the scoring in the seventh minute of the match, finding the back of the net from the penalty spot after a foul by Luis Diaz on Uriel Antuna inside the box. Mexico followed up with another brace, as Gerardo Arteaga connected with Erick Gutierrez to double the tally.
The first 45 minutes saw an almost unrecognizable Mexico, with a high pressing dynamic as players connected well in the midfield and took risks on the attack. But it all came to an abrupt end within the first 10 minutes of the second half, as Sinisterra scored back to back goals.
Captain Andres Guardado reflected on the defeat, pointing out that it serves as a wake up call for Mexico ahead of the international tournament, “it’s a great preparation game and it helps us a lot to improve for the World Cup.”
“It is a game where it is divided into two parts, the first very serious, beyond the fact that they had longer possessions, we were good, together, solid, until the option of a third party we had and then things that cannot happen, we knew that they were going to come out strong, they score a set piece for us, it’s a great preparation game and it helps us a lot to improve for the World Cup,” he said to TUDN after the match.
“We also had 30 good minutes with Peru, with Paraguay, now a solid first half and in a World Cup we have to keep it up, today they tie us in 5 minutes and we can’t give away those kinds of situations, it’s better that it happens to us now and that it serves as learning.
“Beyond all the analysis, we have loosened up a bit and after a Qualifiers where a good game was not played, in these friendly matches we have seen something more, wanting the ball more, having more confidence in our game and it’s time to sustain it,” he concluded.
Tuesday’s match concluded the last international window before the World Cup, however, the team is slated to face Iran and Sweden prior to reaching Qatar. But Mexico must prepare as they are set to face Argentina, Saudi Arabia and Poland in the World Cup’s Group C.
Credit: 90min.com
