Uriel Antuna opened the scoring for Mexico in the 55th minute before Jesus Ferreira equalized for the USMNT in the 81st minute.
Starting XI
USMNT (4-2-3-1): Sean Johnson (GK); DeAndre Yedlin, Walker Zimmerman (C), Aaron Long, Sergiño Dest; James Sands, Kellyn Acosta, Jordan Morris, Cade Cowell, Jesús Ferreira; Brandon Vazquez
Mexico (3-5-2): Carlos Acevedo (GK); Nestor Araujo, Israel Reyes, Julian Araujo; Victor Guzman, Uriel Antuna, Erick Sanchez, Luis Chavez, Jesus Gallardo; Alexis Vega, Roberto de la Rosa
The formation of this USMNT roster for the Continental Clásico was well thought out by interim boss Anthony Hudson. The roster contained 10 players from the 2022 World Cup, 9 players with less than five appearances, and four young players that are set to feature at next summer’s Olympic Games in Paris.
With this not being an approved international window, the roster featured 21 players playing soccer in the United States. There was only one player from Europe with the final player being from a Mexican club.
Given the nature of this match as a “friendly”, there were numerous questions about what the starting lineup would be as well as what the purpose of the match would be.
Would it be an opportunity to deploy new faces and evaluate the talent pool of the USMNT or would it be a final moment for the old guard in an emotionally charged match against a rival?
The answer came with the 7:10 P.M. release of the starting lineup. It featured many USMNT veterans with a few new faces sprinkled into the mix.
First Half
The first half saw the USMNT begin on the press. They did well to force Mexico into tough areas on the pitch, but could not cause any threatening turnovers.
Outside of possession, Hudson set the team up in a 4-4-2 that Mexico found difficult to break down early in the match. Both teams found offense difficult to come by in the first half. The USMNT did not register a single shot in the half. They also only managed a single touch in the attacking penalty area – Mexico only managed two such touches.
Their first goal-scoring opportunity came on the counter-attack with a few moments of individual brilliance. Jesus Ferreira, Cade Cowell, and Jordan Morris combined for a series of passes that saw Morris through on goal. A touch from a Mexico defender took it off his foot and just wide of the goal.
A left-footed shot from Luis Chávez narrowly went wide of Johnson’s goal in the 19th minute. That shot proved to be Mexico’s best attempt of the first half.
A common narrative around the national team has been the search for a consistent, goal-scoring “number 9.” Ferreira has been given an opportunity to fill that gap in previous matches, but his role in this match began as a “number 10.”
He commonly found himself in deeper areas of the pitch and pockets of space within the Mexico defense attempting to get on the ball. His effort wasn’t enough as a fourth straight USMNT-Mexico game went to the half knotted at 0.
Second Half
The second half began in a similar manner with offense coming at a premium.
A mistake from Aaron Long reversed fortunes for Mexico to open the scoring in the match. Long attempted to play a pass to Dest on his left. His pass was intercepted and ricocheted off Uriel Antuna, playing him straight on goal.
Despite a lengthy recovering run from Walker Zimmerman and the best efforts of Sean Johnson, Antuna made no mistake in slotting his shot into the back of the net. (Antuna 0-1, 55’)
Substitutions followed for the USMNT with Aiden Morris and Alan Sonora entering the match in place of Cade Cowell and Brandon Vazquez. Sonora occupied the “number 10” position, moving Ferreira forward up the pitch.
Mexico looked primed to double their advantage as they sprung a 3 on 2 counterattacks following a turnover in the 73rd minute. After a lengthy run from Antuna, he played provider for the chance finding Roberto de la Rosa to his left.
He fired a low shot on goal but Johnson was equal to it and importantly parried the shot away from the rush of Mexico’s attackers.
Another opportunity came minutes later for Mexico. Antuna found himself streaking down the right flank again, this time leading a 2 versus 3 counterattack. After dribbling to the right edge of the box he played a pass to his left to de la Rosa who laid it off to “Charly” Rodriguez.
After a touch, he fired a shot that was outside of the reach of Johnson but reverberated off the crossbar.
The resulting rebound was collected by Matt Miazga who played it out to Dest on the left flank. After dribbling through three players, he laid it off to Sonora who turned and slotted Jordan Morris through on goal with a slashing pass.
One touch was all Morris needed before playing an outside-of-the-boot pass to Ferreira streaking into the box. Morris’ pass deflected off a Mexico defender and found itself in the path of Ferreira who calmly redirected the miscue, leveling the score for the Stars and Stripes. (Ferreira 1-1, 81’)
Before that connection, the USMNT was 0/10 in passes in the attacking third box.
A match winner was unable to be found in the final 9 minutes of the match and the inaugural Continental Clásico between the USMNT and Mexico ended in a draw.
Continental Clásico: United States 1 (Ferreira 81’) – Mexico 1 (Antuna 55’)
The USMNT will look vastly different in their next match with the return of their European talent. It could also look different as the next sporting director and head coach are appointed before the Gold Cup kicks off in June.
A worldwide search remains open for both positions. United States Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone teased that an announcement could be coming soon during the broadcast of the Continental Clásico.
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