EAST RUTHERFORD, United States, Sept 7, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Erick Gutierrez
and Uriel Antuna scored second half goals as Mexico routed the United States
3-0 on Friday in a rematch of the 2019 CONCACAF Gold Cup final.
PSV Eindhoven’s Gutierrez and Antuna scored just four minutes apart as the
regional rivalry as Mexico posted their biggest win over the US since 2009 in
a regional rivalry that has become onesided of late.
Mexico, who are ranked 12th in the world, have now won five of the last six
contests between the countries including a 1-0 victory in their last game,
the Gold Cup final on July 7.
Mexico’s 31-player roster included all 23 players that were part of the
2019 Gold Cup winning squad, while the US had 15 players from their runner-up
squad.
Mexico did a good job of pressuring the US defence in their own end,
forcing turnovers and creating scoring chances.
There were so many green and red-clad fans among the throng of 47,900 at
MetLife Stadium that it sounded like the game was being played in Azteca
Stadium instead of the state of New Jersey.
Sevilla FC forward Javier Hernandez opened the scoring by heading home a
Jesus ‘Tecatito’ Corona pass in the 21st minute.
Corona undressed US defender Sergino Dest with a slick between-the-legs
move and then crossed it to the middle of the box where Hernandez headed it
home.
The US had a couple of scoring chances in the first half, sparked by a
number of strong rushes from Chelsea’s Christian Pulisic, who was their best
player early on.
Tempers flared in the 56th minute when Alfredo Morales of the US and
Mexico’s Hector Herrera tangled at midfield.
Herrera came halfway across the field during a pause in play to slap
Morales in the throat. Morales pushed his hand away as players from both
teams joined the fracas. No punches were thrown and no one was injured.
Gutierrez made it 2-0 in the 78th minute with a left footed shot from
outside the box to the bottom right corner. Gutierrez scored after US
goalkeeper Zac Steffen misplayed a short pass to one of this defenders in
front of his goal.
Just four minutes later, Antuna finished off a nice passing sequence with
Napoli’s Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano with a blast from the centre of the box to
the bottom right corner.
Josh Sargent had the best chance of the game to score for the Americans in
the 87th minute. But he was stopped on a penalty kick by goalkeeper Jonathan
Orazco, who guessed right on Sargent’s blast to the bottom left corner.
Morales also hit the post in the 80th minute.