Mexico and Panama played to a 0-0 draw at the Estadio Rommel Fernandez in the second match date of the hexagonal for qualifying to the 2018 World Cup.
Most opportunities came in the first half for both teams, with Panama pressuring Mexico’s midfield. The pitch conditions were less than desirable as it was soaked and made it difficult for players to get footing on some plays. The changes in midfield helped with stability as Jonathan dos Santos and Marco Fabián both got the start after not appearing in the first game against the USA.
The second half saw action slow down and el Tricolor settle into dominance in possession. There were fewer opportunities for both teams, but Panama still managed to put together some menacing counters. Jesús Dueñas, who came on for Diego Reyes, managed to make key clearances late in the game and added some more stability to the left side of the defense.
On the offensive side of the ball, Javier Hernández and Raúl Jiménez had few touches and couldn’t capitalize. One bright spot was the arrival of Hirving Lozano: his play on the flank gave Panama some trouble as he managed to make passes into the box and get the ball to his forwards more often. The same could not be said of Héctor Herrera, who was largely ineffective while on the pitch.
Man of the Match: Guillermo Ochoa
Guillermo Ochoa looked much more confident between the sticks than Alfredo Talavera did in last Friday night’s clash against the USA. He made several timely saves, including a diving effort that denied Panama’s Luis Tejada a potential game-winner in the 80th minute.
Here are the ratings for the entire Tuesday night squad:
Guillermo Ochoa: 7.5
Héctor Moreno: 6.5
Rafael Márquez: 7
Diego Reyes: 5
Miguel Layún: 6
Néstor Araújo: 6
Jonathan dos Santos: 5
Marco Fabián: 6
Giovani Dos Santos: 6.5
Raúl Jiménez: 7
Javier Hernández: 6.5
Substitutes:
Jesús Dueñas: 7
Héctor Herrera: 6
Hirving Lozano: 7