Mexico started the year off right by squeaking out a 1-0 win over Panama in Panama City, all thanks to a stoppage-time own goal. Match was a real barnburner – I mean, it was a pretty tight and conservative affair, with neither side really creating much in the way of clear-cut chances. But in the end, it marked the end of a pretty dismal run for Mexico.
The breakthrough came at the death – or rather 3 minutes past the 90th minute, when a cross caused all sorts of chaos in the box and Panama defender Richard Peralta made a bit of a ridiculous mistake and turned the ball into his own net.
Mexico went into this one with a team made up entirely of Liga MX players – and coach Javier Aguirre had them playing for defensive solidity and slow but sure buildup. And for the most part, it worked a charm – Panama stayed compact and organized all match, and really made Mexico work for every scrap they got.
Match also served as a bit of a trial run, with both Mexico handing out debuts to Kevin Castañeda and Brian Gutiérrez. Of course, the win will be a welcome one for Mexico, but it’s still got to leave some questions about their attacking play – since Panama, despite the late blip, were pretty solid all round.