June 28 – Mexico made hard work of overcoming Saudi Arabia 2-0 to book their place in the Gold Cup semi-final. Second half goals from Alexis Vega and Santiago Gimenez secured the win against the Gold Cup guests.
Outside the temperature at the State Farm Stadium in Glendale Arizona had cooled to a balmy 104 degrees for the 7.15pm kick off. Inside 45,255 mainly Mexican fans turned up to roar on their nation who are seeking to retain their title for what would be the tenth time they won the Gold Cup.
Mexico and Saudi Arabia have played six times with Mexico winning five of them. Saudi Arabia have guested before at the Gold Cup but this was the first time they had reached the quarter final stage.
Javier Aguirre kept just four players from the starting XI that drew 0-0 with Costa Rica in Mexico’s final group game.
Raul Jimenez was preferred up front with Alexis Vega, again leaving Santiago Gimenez on the bench. Centre back Cesar Montes, imperious in defence and with two goals from the Costa Rica game and leading scorer this tournament with three, was dropped on the bench.
Edson Alvarez, the heartbeat of this Mexican side, started his fourth game in 14 days.
Saudi Arabia’s coach Herve Renard set up with just two changes from the team that drew their final group game against Trinidad and Tobago to squeeze into the quarter finals.
He set his team up with five, and at times six, across the back to negate Mexico’s flying wings. It worked, keeping the Mexicans at arms length from their goal. Anything into Jimenez saw him outnumbered and over-powered – only Aguirre knows why he is reluctant to play Santiago Gimenez alongside him.
With the Saudis coping comfortably with Mexico’s threat, they also provided the first shot in anger.
In the 21st minute Ali Majrashi fired from distance on the right warning the Mexicans that this might not be as straightforward as their team selection thought it might be.
It sparked Mexico into action. A corner was followed by a free kick 25m out in front of goal. Vega thumped it into the wall before the 10-man defence in Saudi Arabia’s box scrambled the ball away.
In the 28th minute Vega found Edson Alvarez’s head 10m out but he was unable to get enough power on it trouble Nawaf Alaqidi in Saudi’s goal.
On the half hour another Vega corner found the boot of Johan Vasquez only to loop over the bar. Erik Lira fired over as Mexico’s chances multiplied but with nothing to unduly worry Alaqidi and his concrete blanket of a defence.
In added time Vega flashed a shot wide of Alaqidi’s left post.
Tempers were fraying and with the Saudis in particular feeling aggrieved, the first half ended grumpily with seven minutes of added time and threats of handbags at dawn.
It was a half time break that ultimately favoured the Saudis. The longer Mexico went without scoring or at least making the goalkeeper save one, one wondered if their frontline would ever score again.
Within three minutes of the restart Mexico answered that question. Receiving the ball 4m out from goal Marcel Ruiz had time to and space to score – hit walloped the ball over.
It didn’t matter, but not without a little bit of drama. A minute later Vega had the ball in the back of the net, hammering in a rebound off Alaqidi, only to be ruled offside.
A VAR review overturned the decision and Mexico at last had their second goal in the tournament from open play, and from a forward.
The Saudis now had to break from their defensive line-up if they were going to avoid going out the competition. They went to four at the back in search of what would only be their third goal of the tournament.
As they pushed forward it opened space for Mexico. Vega and Ruiz combined down the left that saw Ruiz bundled over in the Saudi box. The call for the penalty was turned down.
Mexico was in control but unable to find the final ball that would unlock the Saudi defence and put this contest to bed.
In the 80th minute a ball across the box from Mateo Chavez on the left saw Santiago Gemenez, on for Raul J, come across the front of his market to head home – 2-0 to Mexico and a semi-final against Honduras in San Jose, California, beckoning.
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1751185822labto1751185822ofdlr1751185822owedi1751185822sni@n1751185822osloh1751185822cin.l1751185822uap1751185822
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