Direct
Alexis Vega celebrates the goal he scored against Jamaica, this Thursday, in Kingston.Ramon Espinosa (AP)
Mexico was about to lose its compass against Jamaica.
El Tri needed to let off steam after stringing together two heavy defeats against the United States (2-0) and Canada (2-1).
The Jamaican team seemed to be that time to shake off malaria.
And what a surprise.
The Mexican team was without skill or fortune to score a goal.
The strategies of Tata Martino, who surrounds himself with pressure due to the poor performance of his pupils, did not work.
Ten minutes of reconnection, driven by Jesús
Tecatito
Corona, helped him come back from the game and win (1-2).
JAMJamaica
one
Andre Blake, Javain Brown, Kemar Lawrence (Greg Leigh, min. 64), Damion Lowe, Ethan Pinnock, Daniel Johnson, Ravel Morrison, Junior Flemmings, Lamar Walker, Devon Williams and Michail Antonio (Andre Gray, min. 70)
MEX Mexico
two
Ochoa, Jesús Gallardo (Gerardo Daniel Arteaga Zamora, min. 70), Néstor Araújo, Héctor Moreno, Jorge Sánchez (Luis Rodríguez, min. 5), Guardado (Diego Lainez, min. 53), Carlos Rodríguez, Héctor Herrera, Carlos Antuna (Jesús Corona, min. 70), Rogelio Funes Mori (Henry Martin, min. 70) and Ernesto Vega
Goals
1-0 min.
49: Daniel Johnson.
1-1 min.
80: Henry Martin.
1-2 minutes
82: Ernest Vega.
Red cards Damion Lowe (min. 46)
As has been customary in Martino's management, the coach has to make his line-up a puzzle-like game.
Each qualifying date has solved a series of injuries and even covid infections.
That has been his ordeal.
In his fleeting trip to Kingston he had to try a new line-up before the absence of Raúl Jiménez due to discomfort in his left calf and Hirving Lozano must pay for the accumulation of yellow cards.
In the first four minutes of the game, Martino lost his right back, Jorge Sánchez.
The Jamaicans withdrew, they did not want to know anything about the ball and gave the initiative to the Mexicans.
But it was difficult for El Tri to find any route of attack.
Neither the left with Jesús Gallardo, nor the right with Luis
Chaka
Rodríguez.
The lack of creativity was paid for by the team.
Héctor Herrera, a player with exquisite passing ability was placed as a defensive midfielder.
Before a soporific first half, Jamaica's Damion Lowe left the studs on Andres Guardado's left foot.
A stomp as hard as it is aggressive.
The whistler, who at first had not scored anything, had to resort to video arbitration to expel the Caribbean player.
This is the first time that VAR has been used in Concacaf qualifying.
It had not been implemented before because there are countries that do not have the conditions for this technology.
The discomfort for the Mexicans occurred in the 49th minute. The Mexicans, who have historically had problems defending on set pieces, were concerned about a shot in the air.
A bad rejection by Néstor Araujo and then a bad defense by striker Rogelio Funes Mori ended with a Jamaican goal.
Daniel Johnson hit from outside the area and went into a corner.
Martino, with the fright in his body, had to pay attention to the bench.
He turned to Diego Lainez, the Mexican promise of Betis.
Gallardo had a failed shot on goal.
The Mexican coach also had to resort to Jesús
Tecatito
Corona, Gerardo Arteaga and Henry Martín.
A trident to revive the team.
With nine minutes to go, a cross from Corona towards Alexis Vega ended almost inside the goal and, in the capsizing, Henry Martín jumped on the ball to make it 1-1.
On the next play, Alexis Vega made it 1-2 after a good pass from Carlos Rodríguez.
Lainez still had a shot off goalkeeper Andre Blake.
The victory places the Mexican team among the top three in the standings and maintains a steady pace towards Qatar, unless they encounter problems against Costa Rica, Panama, the United States and Honduras.
Martino, who accumulates the failures of losing the Gold Cup and the Nations League against the USA, will have a few days of tranquility thanks to Jamaica.
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