GLENDALE, Ariz. — Mexico‘s vessel has sunk.
Navigating by way of the uneven waters of the Copa América, El Tri and supervisor Jaime “Jimmy” Lozano failed to succeed in the protection of the event’s knockout spherical after a dismal group stage exit. With 4 factors in hand after Sunday’s 0-0 draw with Ecuador, the Concacaf facet slumped to a ultimate place at third in Group B, thereby leaving them with no place within the quarterfinal stage.
“We now have 90 minutes [left] and nobody is getting off this ship and we will make it,” mentioned Lozano just a few days forward of the sport, figuring out he was in a must-win scenario after dropping 1-0 to Venezuela on Wednesday. “We will make it, of that I am positive.”
Considerably symbolically for El Tri, and Lozano’s scorching seat on the deck of his ship that will quickly capsize, temperatures on Sunday reached a sweltering 110 levels exterior of Arizona’s State Farm Stadium that was finally stuffed with 62,565 in attendance.
Versus the same old pre-game tailgate ambiance at Mexico video games that is typically stuffed with banda, barbecues, and beer, the anticipatory events had been restricted as a result of oppressive warmth. With many hiding beneath shade that did little to chill them off, and others rapidly dashing into the air-conditioned venue, celebrations earlier than the match had been held to a minimal due to the overbearing desert solar.
Or, maybe, resulting from figuring out what was about to unfold for a coach and group of Mexico gamers which have been underwhelming on the Copa.
Much like what occurred in opposition to Venezuela, El Tri did not do sufficient to capitalize on their probabilities within the ultimate third. Some followers have pointed to separate conditions that might have given Mexico penalties in the course of the match vs. Ecuador, however these selections finally felt like excuses for the Concacaf giants that had sufficient alternatives to seek out the again of the web.
Lozano ought to (and can) be criticized for not guiding his workforce to a victory and for under having the ability to safe one aim over 270+ minutes of play within the Copa, however the gamers themselves must also be severely questioned. In a challenge that has aimed to construct in the direction of the 2026 World Cup with out the likes of ageing veterans reminiscent of Guillermo Ochoa, Hirving “Chucky” Lozano and Raúl Jiménez, no participant was capable of step up on Sunday and turn into the brand new game-changer or contemporary face that may carry Mexico on his shoulders.
A golden platform in a serious event was given for these subsequent in line, and it turned apparent with every passing minute that extremely gifted attacking gamers reminiscent of Santiago Giménez, Julián Quiñones and César Huerta, amongst others, weren’t going to seek out the again of the web.
Voicing their very own frustrations in the course of the dying minutes, Mexico’s followers marred the match with the return of an anti-gay goalkeeper chant, a cowardly response and traditional prevalence from El Tri‘s supporters that usually emerges within the face of unfavorable outcomes.
A lifeline for Mexico then emerged by way of a penalty name in harm time after substitute striker Guillermo MartÃnez was probably fouled within the 18-yard field, nonetheless, the choice was appropriately overruled by VAR, cementing the scoreless outcome.
By the ultimate whistle, Mexico’s vessel had fallen to items. Whether or not Lozano will go down with the ship stays to be seen.
Earlier coaches have been fired for much less by the Mexican Soccer Federation and, regardless of Lozano trying to power a generational change along with his experimental roster, it is powerful to say that any actual shifts had been made. Promising to construct one thing forward of the World Cup with out high-profile leaders Ochoa, Lozano and Jimenez, there was a way that El Tri would use the event as a testing floor.
One might forgive Lozano if he gave alternatives to the following era on the danger of failing on the Copa, however the actuality is that he performed it protected. Not solely did Mexico crash out of the group stage, additionally they did so with conservative in-game roster selections.
Up-and-comers like Marcelo Flores, Bryan González, and Jesús Orozco weren’t given a single minute within the event. Of Mexico’s eight gamers which are beneath the age of 25, solely two (Gimenez and Huerta) got begins, and of these two, solely Gimenez was given greater than a single begin. Lozano did not shake issues up roster-wise as a lot as he merely not noted just a few of Mexico’s superstars that had been previous their peak, after which did no risk-taking along with his XIs.
And not using a place within the knockouts, with no actual minutes given to younger and promising gamers, and maybe with no job quickly for Lozano, Mexico have re-entered a well-recognized disaster.
What the Copa highlights is that El Tri‘s failure this summer season is not an surprising glitch, it is a part of a wider and ongoing sample of regression that has now been taking place and lengthening for years. Actually, the one true glitch was Mexico lifting 2023’s Concacaf Gold Cup title.
Mexico are with no trophy in all three of their Nations League runs, Mexico exited the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, Mexico did not qualify for the 2024 Olympics, and now, Mexico have exited the group stage in three of their final 4 appearances within the Copa.
Mexico’s disastrous early exit within the Copa is not surprising, it is now the norm for a workforce that when dreamed of changing into part of the elite on a world scale.
With or with out Lozano, the clock is ticking for El Tri with simply two years to go till the World Cup. Earlier than they’ll aspire of success within the main event that they will co-host, they’re first going to wish to select up and put again collectively the shattered items of what was as soon as a proud ship.