Mexico hit back with a dominant display to overturn a first-leg deficit knocking Honduras out of the CONCACAF Nations League.
El Trí were left under immense pressure when the sides met on Thursday evening, losing 2-0 thanks to a brace from Celtic winger Luís Palma.
Key Lineup Changes
Javier Aguirre made sweeping changes for the second leg, benching eight players from the first match in San Pedro Sula. Guillermo Ochoa, Jorge Sánchez, Israel Reyes, Jesús Angulo, Luis Chávez, Orbelín Pineda, César Huerta, and Julián Quiñones were all dropped after failing to leave a mark in the opening game.
The Mexican boss was leading his first competitive match in charge of the national team this month, and in an effort to avoid embarrassment, the 65-year-old made significant changes. Only three players – César Montes, Edson Álvarez, and Raúl Jiménez – retained their spots in the starting lineup.
Rodrigo Huescas earned his first competitive start for El Trí after a standout performance in Copenhagen, Denmark, earlier this season. The 21-year-old made the move from Cruz Azul to the Danish capital, securing a place in the national team and in the starting XI for the pivotal second leg.
22-year-old Jorge Orozco also made his first competitive start for the national team, having been an unused substitute during the Copa América this past summer. The Chivas defender, highly regarded for his defensive abilities, replaced Club América's Israel Reyes at the heart of the defence. With Genoa's Johan Vázquez sidelined due to injury, Orozco seized the opportunity to make a case for a regular starting spot as Mexico progresses further in the Nations League.
There were also rare national team starts for wingers Alexis Gutiérrez and Alexis Vega, who joined Fulham forward Raúl Jiménez in the attack. Gutiérrez has contributed six goals this season with Cruz Azul, while Vega has been a key player for the high-flying Toluca.
Read More
If you are enjoying the VivaLigaMX coverage of the Mexican National Team, make sure to read:
- Honduras Draw First Blood Against Mexico in CONCACAF Nations League Quarterfinals
- CONCACAF Nations League Preview: Mexico vs Honduras
- Andrés Guardado: A Farewell to the 'Little Prince'
First Half
Mexico knew that scoring two goals was absolutely essential if they hoped to avoid embarrassment in front of their own fans at the Estadio Nemesio Diez in Toluca. Despite the pressing need for goals, the opening strike didn’t come until just under three minutes before the halftime break. Orozco made a powerful run down the middle of the pitch, then delivered a perfectly placed ball to Jiménez, who calmly stabbed it home.
Chances came and went throughout the opening 45 minutes, but that single goal gave El Trí the belief that, for the second consecutive year, they could stage a comeback and eliminate Honduras from the CONCACAF Nations League quarterfinals.
Second Half
Mexico continued to press in the second half, with Jiménez seeing his overhead kick sail over the crossbar and Huescas slashing his shot wide of the post. At the other end, substitute goalkeeper Luis Malagón was called into action, making some solid saves as Honduras sought to regain their lead in the tie. However, the América shot-stopper made light work of his responsibilities.
With twenty minutes left in the game, Mexico levelled the tie as Jiménez transitioned from goalscorer to provider. He flicked a header toward the back post, where substitute Henry Martín was perfectly positioned to finish.
In the 85th minute, another Mexican substitute made an impact when Sánchez came off the bench to meet a looping ball from Vega. The ball sailed over the Honduran defence, and Sánchez blasted it into the roof of the net to give Mexico the lead.
Now in control of the tie for the first time, Mexico just needed to hold on to secure their passage to the final four. While Aguirre's side seemed well on course to do so, they were awarded a penalty in the final moments when Denil Maldonado fouled Martín in the box. After a VAR review confirmed the foul occurred inside the area, Club América striker Martín confidently smashed his spot kick down the middle, sealing a dramatic comeback for El Trí.
Mexico 4-0 (4-2) Honduras
For the second year in a row, Mexico has been able to respond to a first-leg 2-0 defeat in Honduras to avoid an early exit from the CONCACAF Nations League. This time around saw a much more defiant display, as the meeting last November needed to be decided in a penalty shootout.
Javier Aguirre will be able to take positives and negatives from the two meetings with Honduras, along with a headache regarding future team selections.
Next up for El Trí is a semifinal matchup with Canada on Thursday 20th March, at the SoFi Stadium in California. A win in the semifinal would set up the possibility of facing either the United States in a replay of the most recent Nations League final, or Panama.
What do you think of the quarterfinal double header with Honduras? Let us know!