A double by Cyle Larin for a 2-1 win over Mexico put Canada ahead of the Concacaf octagonal heading to Qatar 2022 with 16 points, followed by the United States with 15, while the tricolor fell to third place with 14 points. , the same as Panama, but with better goal difference. Canada, which has not been in the World Cup since Mexico in 1986, is one step closer to the end of 2021.
The -9 degree temperature was a factor that affected Mexico and Canada was gradually unraveling in the heat of euphoria over Larin’s goals. Football in the country of the maple leaf is experiencing a good moment that was not only reflected in its result at the end of the third year of the World Cup cycle, but also in the support of its fans, since for the first time the Canadian team gathered 50,000 people at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton.
For this match, Grardo Martino, coach of Mexico, generated surprise with a defensive line of five elements, which until the 45th minute had allowed the Tricolor to contain the Canadians and play the ball calmly and without risking or proposing.
However, near the whistle that would mark the end of the first half, Alistair Johnston took advantage of Orbelín Pineda’s inattention when looking for the ball and sent a shoe to the goal of Guillermo Ochoa, the goalkeeper mistakenly rejected the ball towards the center, which It was served for a shot by Cyle Larin and thus break the zero.
According to Google data, after the first half of the game Mexico did not register any shot on the opponent’s goal. For the second half, Martino had to dismantle his five-man defensive device and Mexico felt very fragile in the rear.
Minutes after returning from the dressing room, a stopped ball and a null defense of the goal by the Mexican goalkeeper, allowed Larin’s second goal to fall. By then, both Canadian players and fans were more than in the heat of the spirit.
Near the end of regular time Héctor Herrera was able to deduct the difference on the scoreboard. Jesús Manuel Corona crossed the ball and the Atlético de Madrid player headed in to send the ball into the back of Milan Borjan’s net, who until then had had outstanding interventions.
During the added five minutes, the Mexican National Team turned intensively on the Canadian area, in which even the Canadian goalkeeper took a ball over the goal line after an uncomfortable shot by Jorge Sánchez, but it was too late to start the reaction . The heat of the game rose to the insults and the outbreak of anger once the match was over.
In addition to descending in the standings, Mexico will lose Hirving Lozano, one of the ‘European’ players, for the next game against Jamaica on January 27 due to the accumulation of yellow cards. Canada’s head coach John Herdman, as well as the tricolor coach, also came out of the match with yellow cards.
United States ties with Jamaica
The United States suffered on Tuesday to start a 1-1 draw against Jamaica in Kingston, which cost them the lead in the CONCACAF World Cup qualifier in Qatar-2022, Gregg Berhalter’s team now sits in second place with 15 points, behind Canada and ahead of Mexico.
The Stars and Stripes team took the lead at Kingston National Stadium through Tim Weah in the 11th minute but Michail Antonio equalized in the 23rd for Jamaica. With the combination of Tuesday’s results, the United States finished the year second in Concacaf’s octagonal table, while Jamaica was sixth with 7 points.
We do not see it as a disappointing result but as a good result. As long as we can get a point away from home it is a good result in a tie, “underlined US coach Gregg Berhalter.
The game did not let the controversy escape, because after a wrong heads-up by Michail Antonio against goalkeeper Zack Steffen, the referee annulled a goal to Jamaican defender Damion Lowe for an alleged foul on Walker Zimmerman when he jumped to head a corner into the net .
Reference-www.eleconomista.com.mx