Mexico backs into next round of World Cup
Reporting from Rustenburg, South Africa — Mexico’s trip through group play at the World Cup was a little like a visit to a buffet in that they got to try everything — a tie, a win and a loss.
In the end, that was enough to earn Mexico an invitation to stay for the next course, the tournament’s knockout round. Yet, backing in on goal differential after a 1-0 loss to Uruguay on Tuesday was far from appetizing.
“It leaves a bitter taste,” said Mexico defender Rafael Marquez. “I think everyone is unhappy with what happened today. We have to get better.”
And quick. Because Mexico’s next game is Sunday against Argentina, the team that knocked it out of the last World Cup and one Mexico hasn’t beaten since 2004.
A loss there and Mexico goes home after the second round for the fifth time in as many World Cups.
Still, Coach Javier Aguirre took a moment to pause and reflect on the last 14 months, in which he inherited a team in danger of failing to get out of the regional qualifying tournament and has taken it to within a victory of the World Cup quarterfinals, a place only two other Mexican teams have ever reached.
“We are among the 16 best teams in the world,” he said proudly
Added goalkeeper Oscar Perez: “There are a lot of excellent teams in the world. And Mexico is one of them.”
But the self-congratulations quickly gave way to self-flagellation. Because though Mexico came to the World Cup with one of the most aggressive attacks in soccer, it has managed only three goals here, and one came on a penalty kick.
And against Uruguay, Mexico wasn’t even that good, managing only two shots on the net.
“This game is over. We have to learn from it and get ready for Argentina,” Marquez said.
One thing Mexico probably learned Tuesday is that forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco isn’t the player he once was. A legend in Mexico and perhaps the country’s best player over the last 15 years, Blanco got a surprise start against Uruguay. But at 37, he had trouble keeping up.
At one point early in the first half, teammate Giovani Dos Santos sent a low cross his way but Blanco’s legs didn’t have enough spring to get him to the ball. Blanco fell to the ground spread-eagled in frustration.
That clearly wasn’t the memory he wanted to take away from his 11th World Cup game, equaling the most by a Mexican player. Marquez was also playing in his 11th World Cup game.
Blanco did have one of Mexico’s shots on goal, a soft, curling free kick early in the second half that goalkeeper Fernando Muslera short-hopped. Andres Guardado had the other, in the 22nd minute, a left-footed rocket from outside the penalty area that bounced off the underside of the crossbar.
Inches from taking a lead, Mexico soon found itself trailing when Luis Suarez raced unmarked to the back post to head in Edinson Cavani’s cross three minutes before the half. And for Uruguay, which has not given up a goal in the tournament, that proved to be enough.
Uruguay goes on to play South Korea, and Mexico gets its old nemesis. And the players hadn’t even made it to the bus before they had started thinking about Argentina.
“We’re not afraid of any team. None,” Perez said. “Yeah, it’s difficult. But there it is. If we want to go on to the next phase, we have to get better and be ready for whoever comes.”
Aguirre tried to put a more positive spin on it.
“This is a nice opportunity,” he said, “to get even with what happened four years ago.”
His heart clearly wasn’t in it though. After his news conference was interrupted so FIFA could present an award to Suarez for scoring the goal that beat Mexico, Aguirre sounded a bit defeated.
“We’re going to regroup, reorganize, look at what we did wrong and have strong hope,” he said. “We’ll put up a good fight.”
