GUADALAJARA, Mexico (Oct. 15, 2024) - Coach Mauricio Pochettino’s first taste of the USA-Mexico rivalry ended in defeat in Guadalajara, where the U.S. Men’s National Team fell in Tuesday’s friendly, 2-0, thanks in large part to a first-half goal and a second-half assist from El Tri veteran Raúl Jiménez.
The setback at the Estadio Akron snapped the USA’s seven-game unbeaten streak (5W-0L-2D) over Mexico, its longest in the 90-year history of the rivalry. It also marked the first time the USMNT lost to El Tri on Mexican soil since 2009. When visiting, the Americans had crafted an impressive 1W-0L-3D run since winning the last south-of-the-border friendly between the sides back in 2012.
The USA now trails the all-time series 24W-37L-17D, but still holds a 5W-1L-2D advantage in the 2020s and a 17W-10L-8D lead in the 2000s.
Tuesday’s friendly concluded Pochettino’s debut window, which opened with Saturday’s 2-0 defeat of Panama in Austin, Texas. Although five players returned to their clubs following that game, Pochettino was able to field a starting XI in Guadalajara that featured only two changes. With Christian Pulisic back in Milan, Malik Tillman earned his fifth career USMNT start, playing underneath striker Josh Sargent in Pochettino’s 4-2-3-1. In defense, center back Miles Robinson relieved Mark McKenzie, who experienced tightness in his left groin prior to the start of the match. The other nine players, including captain Tim Ream, remained the same.
The Estadio Akron was packed for 17th-ranked Mexico’s first official home game in 11 months, and Ream, Yunus Musah and Antonee Robinson were the only American starters who’d ever faced El Tri away. Although the 18th-ranked USA held both its shape and its nerve during a cagey opening quarter hour, a foul about nine yards beyond the U.S. penalty area offered the hosts an opening.
Fulham’s Jiménez stepped up. The 33-year-old hadn’t played for Mexico in 11 months, but he expertly spun a perfect, 22nd-minute free kick over the U.S. wall and toward the upper-right corner of the net. Goalkeeper Matt Turner leaped to his left and was able to get a slight touch to it as the ball flew in. It was Jiménez’s 34th goal for El Tri, moving him into a tie for fifth all-time, and it sparked a stretch of Mexican momentum.
Kristoffer Lund and Club América’s Alex Zendejas replaced Antonee Robinson and Musah, respectively, after halftime. Mexico doubled its advantage before the new alignment could get settled. Jiménez was the catalyst in the 49th minute, losing possession to Ream in the penalty area but then winning it back with a well-executed tackle from behind that sent the ball to César Huerta. The Pumas forward then finished the play from 13 yards.
Pochettino inserted his other Liga MX player, Monterrey’s Brandon Vazquez, in the 63rd minute, along with Haji Wright and Tanner Tessmann. The USA’s first good scoring chance came seconds later, as Lund barely mis-timed a volley of an exquisite, deep cross from Zendejas. Vazquez then raced onto a slick through ball from Aaronson in the 79th, ripping a shot that forced an alert save from Mexico’s Luis Malagón.
The U.S. enjoyed a steep advantage in possession during the second half, 63.3%-36.7%. Mexico saw the game out and ended up outshooting the visitors, 17-5, with all five U.S. bids coming after intermission.
Pochettino will reconvene the USMNT in November for the 2024-25 Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, which will be played as a two-game, home-and-away series. The opener will be played away on Nov. 14 or 15, and the second leg is scheduled for Nov. 18 at CityPark in St. Louis, Mo.
MEX—Raúl Jiménez, 22nd minute: Roberto Alvarado drew a foul about nine yards beyond the U.S. penalty area and Jiménez bent the ensuing free kick over the USA’s five-man wall and into the upper right corner of Matt Turner’s net. MEX 1, USA 0
MEX—César Huerta (Raúl Jiménez), 49th minute: Tim Ream did well to track down and dispossess Jiménez as the striker ran onto a long pass from midfield. But Jiménez recovered and tackled Ream, sending the ball toward the penalty spot and Huerta. The Pumas forward sidestepped Miles Robinson and lured a shot to Matt Turner’s right. MEX 2, USA 0 FINAL
Match: United States Men’s National Team vs. Mexico
Date: October 15, 2024
Competition: International Friendly
Venue: Estadio Akron; Guadalajara, Mexico
Attendance: 43,537
Kickoff: 9:30 local (10:30 p.m. ET)
Weather: 69 degrees, mostly clear
| Scoring Summary | 1 | 2 | F |
| USA | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| MEX | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| MEX – Raúl Jiménez | 22nd minute |
| MEX – César Huerta | 49 |
Lineups:
USA: 1-MattTurner; 22-Joe Scally, 12-Miles Robinson, 13-Ream (Capt.), 5-Antonee Robinson (23-Kristoffer Lund, 46);14-Gianluca Busio (15-Tanner Tessman, 63), 7-Aidan Morris (2-Austun Trusty, 83), 6-Yunus Musah (21-Alex Zendejas, 46); 17-Malik Tillman (20-Brandon Vazquez, 63), 11-Brenden Aaronson, 24-Josh Sargent (19-Haji Wright, 63)
Substitutes not used: 16-Patrick Schulte, 18-Ethan Horvath
Head coach: Mauricio Pochettino
MEX: 1-Luis Malagon; 27-Jesús Angulo (24-Obed Vargas, 82), 5-Johan Vásquez, 3-César Montes, 2-Jorge Sánchez, 18-Andrés Guardado (Capt.), 4-Edson Álvarez, 21-César Huerta (10-Alexis Vega, 68), 17-Orbelín Pineda (11-Germán Berterame, 68), 25-Roberto Alvarado (16-Diego Lainez, 68), 9-Raúl Jiménez (22-Guillermo Martínez, 82)
Substitutes not used: 13-Guillermo Ochoa, 6-Jesús Orozco, 7-Luis Romo, 8-Carlos Rodríguez, 12-Raúl Rangel, 14-Marcel Ruíz, 15-Sebastián Córdova, 20-Érik Lira, 23-Bryan González, 26-Rodrigo Huescas
Head coach: Javier Aguirre
Stats Summary: USA / MEX
Shots: 5 / 17
Shots on Goal: 1 / 5
Saves: 4 / 1
Corner Kicks: 5 / 5
Fouls: 7 / 14
Offside: 2 / 1
Misconduct Summary:
MEX – Javier Aguirre (Caution) 26th minute
USA – Aidan Morris (Caution) 34
USA – Alex Zendejas (Caution) 75
MEX – Edson Álvarez (Caution) 75
Officials:
Referee: Keylor Antonio Herrera Villalobos (CRC)
Assistant 1: William Uriel Chow Barrios (CRC)
Assistant 2: Victor Fabian Ramirez Fonseca (CRC)
Fourth Official: Mario Alberto Escobar (GUA)