Lionel Messi defends the ball against Andrés Guardado during the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.LatinContent (LatinContent via Getty Images)
Argentina against Mexico has overtones of a Latin American classic.
Both teams have met three times in the World Cups and, in general, seven times in official FIFA matches.
The statistics are overwhelming: the Argentines have won six of those matches and Mexico only one.
The times, the players and the pressure have been very different in each of the cases.
Now, in 2022, the shadow of anxiety hangs over the Argentines because if they lose against El Tri they will be out of the World Cup.
The last time Mexico beat the Argentines in an official match was in 2004, in the group stage of the 2004 Copa América, in Peru.
That Albiceleste coached by José Pékerman could not overcome a free kick taken by the Mexican Ramón Morales at one minute.
A precise shot that left Pato Abbondanzieri static.
The Mexican team consisted of Rafa Márquez, Pável Pardo and Jared Borgetti.
The coach was the Argentine Ricardo La Volpe.
The rest of official matches have been Argentine triumphs.
Mexico and Argentina have met three times in the World Cups.
The 1930 Albiceleste took El Tri to the darkest corner of statistics: the first big win in the nascent world tournament.
That 6-3 crushed the dreams of a Mexico that was trying to get closer to soccer.
That year the Argentines reached the final, although the Uruguayans overwhelmed 4-2.
In 2006, both teams met in the round of 16.
A goal from Márquez put his team ahead by surprise.
The tie was Hernán Crespo.
In extra time Maxi Rodríguez nailed a great goal into the goal.
A lot of agony for those of Pékerman.
In figures, the Mexicans finished more than the Argentines: 17 versus 12. However, of those 17 only two were on goal;
while of five Argentine shots to the goalkeeper Oswaldo Sánchez two entered.
The Mexicans committed up to 28 fouls compared to Argentina's 23.
In the next round, those of Riquelme and company were thrown out by Germany on penalties.
In 2010, Maradona's Argentina won 3-1 against Aguirre's Mexico.
The first goal, by Carlos Tévez, became controversial because the player was offside.
Beyond the controversies, the Argentines shot 17 times to Mexico's 12, however, of those 17 Argentine chances, five were directed against the goalkeeper and three on goal.
Mexico kicked 12 times and half of these were between the three sticks.
In the quarterfinals, the Germans defeated the South Americans again (4-0).
The Ochoa Factor
Goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa was a substitute in 2006 and 2010. This time it will be his first meeting against Argentina in an official match.
It will also be the first time that he meets Messi.
What he has played is a friendly against Argentina.
It was in 2019 when Messi was not part of the team.
The Argentines won 4-0 in San Antonio, Texas with a hat trick from Lautaro Martínez and one from Leandro Paredes.
The Argentines scored the goals in less than half an hour.
The Mexicans had no response.
The Mexican hope is to have a solid goalkeeper.
And there Guillermo Ochoa emerges in the World Cups.
In 2014, he was in charge of spoiling the party for Brazil at home when he excelled with a series of saves when the odds were to lose and defeat the Mexicans.
In the four games he played he made 10 key saves.
The Mexican defense allowed up to 50 shots, between deflected and blocked.
Ochoa's record of saves doubled in 2018, mainly due to the game against Germany that he won with his teammates: 25 saves, an average of 6.25 per game, according to information from Stats Perform.
In the World Cup in Russia there were 78 shots against and 60 in favor.
In Qatar, Ochoa only had a shot on goal from the Poles against him and the penalty that saved Lewandowski.
In total: the Europeans kicked eight times well frustrated by the defense defended by César Montes and Héctor Moreno.
The offensive duel, the Mexicans had up to 13 shots on goal, where 10 were inside the area.
Those led by Scaloni kicked 14 times, with a dozen attempts against goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais from Saudi Arabia.
The goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez was only in danger three times, with two goals against.
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