Mexico embarked on a two-game stint in South America which started with a 2-0 win over Internacional in Brazil before meeting Argentine giants River Plate.
Aguirre made several changes, including handing a debut to San Luis goalkeeper Andrés Sánchez, who stepped in to replace Chivas' Raúl Rangel.
Other changes saw Víctor Guzmán and Luis Sánchez from Monterrey and Mazatlán get the nod, while Atlas' Jeremy Márquez and Mazatlán's Roberto Meraz were handed rare starts in midfield. Pumas' Jorge Ruvalcaba, who caught the eye in Brazil, had to settle for a spot on the bench, with 24-year-old Raymundo Fulgencio of Tigres taking his place in the starting lineup.
There were some standout names on the other side too, with former Monterrey midfielder Maximiliano Meza in the lineup, while FIFA World Cup winner Gonzalo Montiel and ex-West Ham United playmaker Manuel Lanzini also featured in the starting XI. The team is led by a familiar face in Marcelo Gallardo, the man who guided them to their most recent Copa Libertadores triumph in 2018.
The match couldn’t have started any worse for El Tri, as Giuliano Galoppo rifled a shot into the roof of the net. A poorly defended out-swinging corner fell kindly to the São Paulo loanee, who unleashed an unstoppable strike past the goalkeeper.
River Plate continued with purpose, forcing Sanchez into some smart saves but he was left helpless Miguel Borja picked up the ball 30 yards from goal and gave the San Luis 'keeper no chance with a rocket just after the half hour mark.
Mexico struggled for the rest of the match to carve out any meaningful chances, a stark contrast to their display in Brazil. El Tri failed to seriously test Franco Armani in the River Plate goal, making it a relatively comfortable evening for the experienced shot-stopper.
The game concludes with El Tri next in action when they face Canada in the semifinal of the CONCACAF Nations League in March.
Javier Aguirre had the chance to analyse a much broader spectrum of choices during these two games. The matches did not feature too many familiar faces with a mixture of young and experienced players handed an opportunity to make an impression.
Will there be too many names from the games against Internacional and River Plate joining Aguirre's March squad? Let us know your thoughts!