El Tri’s World Cup momentum is officially building. Midfielder Brian Gutiérrez and striker Guillermo Martínez both found the back of the net to lift Mexico to a 2-0 victory over Ghana on Friday night, extending the team’s impressive unbeaten streak to six matches.
The action started almost immediately at the Cuauhtemoc Stadium. Gutiérrez, the American-born midfielder fighting for a spot on Mexico’s final World Cup roster, stunned the Ghanaian defense with a goal in just the second minute of play. Martínez later doubled the lead in the 52nd minute, sealing a comfortable win for the hosts, who haven’t tasted defeat since falling to Paraguay last November, News.Az reports, citing Huron Daily.
While the energy on the pitch was high, the atmosphere in the stands was noticeably subdued. The stadium fell short of a sellout due to recent FIFA sanctions imposed on Mexico for homophobic chants used by fans during friendlies late last year.
For Ghana, the match marked a tough debut for veteran manager Carlos Queiroz. The 73-year-old, who took over last month after Otto Addo was dismissed, was forced to field an inexperienced squad because the fixture fell outside of FIFA’s official international window.
Both teams are now in the final stretch of preparation for the tournament. Mexico kicks off its World Cup campaign on home soil against South Africa at the iconic Azteca Stadium on June 11, followed by group-stage matches against South Korea and the Czech Republic. Meanwhile, Ghana will travel to Toronto to open its tournament against Panama on June 17.
News.Az
By Aysel Mammadzada
