(Soccer365.com) - For the second time in a week, Mexico lost to one of Europe’s best teams, falling 2-1 at Holland after leading in the first half.
Mexico played a good half of soccer, but lost 2-1 to Holland Thursday night in Eindhoven, against one of Europe’s elite sides.
Starting all four strikers seemed to help El Tri, ‘Kikin’ Fonseca, Guille Franco, Jared Borgetti and Omar Bravo all played together, giving the team speed on the front.
But the second half substitutions could not keep up, as the Dutch scored twice in five minutes to sink the Mexicans to their second European loss.
In that first half, Mexico was stout, taking all the punches the Holland side had to give.
In the sixth minute, ‘Gringo’ Castro deflected a center with his head, and a minute later Gonzalo Pineda kicked away a ball that got dangerously close to the goal.
The four striker approach paid off as Mexico took the lead in the 19th minute when striker Borgetti, the Desert Fox, headed home a Pavel Pardo corner.
The Netherlands kept coming, but the Tricolor defense pushed them back every time, and the half ended with the home team trailing.
In the second half, Zinha, Rafael Garcia, Gerardo Torrado and Ramon Morales replaced Pavel Pardo, Guille Franco, Omar Bravo and Francisco Fonseca.
The Oranje came out firing, and just three minutes into the period, Kuyt shot from the right, but the ball ended in Oswaldo Sanchez’s capable hands.
A minute later, Sanchez was challenged again, this time by De Cler, who had the ball stripped, but in the next play Kuyt found the fresh Vennegoor, whose shot went over the crossbar.
Then in the 52nd, Johnny Heitinga was in the right place when the corner came in and he fired a rebound for the equalizer.
Three minutes later, Dirk Kuyt continued to damage the Aztecs when he kicked to Ryan Babel, whose cross beat Sanchez to the back of the net.
In the 63rd, Gonzalo Pineda and Jose Antonio Castro were replaced with Jesus ‘Cabrito’ Arellano and the ageless Claudio Suarez.
Eight minutes later, a chance to tie fell apart as Rafa Marquez planted himself to head a corner, but the Dutch defense deflected the kick.
Moments later, Arellano hit ‘Chquis’ Garcia, whose left-footed shot was swatted away by Stekelemburg.
Ramón Morales desbordó por la izquierda, pasó a Salcido quien levantó un globo que bajó el portero a los 40 minutos.
Ramon Morales passed to Carlos Salcido five minutes from time, but his shot was also defended by the ‘keeper.
Mexico’s best chance after that came in the 88th minute when Ramon Morales kicked to a Wide-open Jesús Arellano, but his kick was challenged by the goalkeeper.
In an interview with ESPN Radio following the match, Ricardo La Volpe admitted the second half replacements affected the team. “The truth is we have to keep our focus for the entire 90 minutes, but after I made the four changes we lost aggressiveness and that’s what I don’t like.”
About the surprising lineup which started the game, featuring four forwards, La Volpe said he had already planned it, all he needed was to see them in action.
“Perhaps the formation was surprising, but I’m not going to do something we haven’t tried. I needed to see how Jared, Guille, Bravo and Kikin worked together and it’s good to know I can have four forwards with variations within the game.”
He concluded by saying: “My team is prepared, confident and ready for the 11th when the real competition starts.”
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