3 reactions from Mexico’s win over Trinidad and Tobago

With eyes set on the CONCACAF Nations League and CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers, a youthful Mexico National Team side got the job done in a friendly over Trinidad and Tobago. Here are three quick reactions from Mexico’s 2-0 win over the Soca Warriors.

Overall, it was a positive performance

Yeah, the match was a snooze fest and talking points were minimal, but all in all, it was a positive performance from this young Mexico National Team. We all would have wanted to see more goals, and in truth, the team did slack off a little in the second half. That said, there wasn’t a point in this match where you felt like this team was doing too much wrong.

The big takeaway here, of course, is that a large group of these players will be taking part in the CONCACAF Nations League squad. That same group will most likely also compete in the upcoming CONCACAF Olympic Qualifiers. As tune-ups go, this game served exactly what it was supposed to do.

J.J. Macias gives a glimpse of the future

Perhaps no player received more hype ahead of this match than Club León striker Jose Juan Macias. The 20-year-old had a dream debut with the senior Mexico National team, scoring El Tri’s first goal in the 23rd minute.

Let’s get it out of the way. Macias is arguably one of the brightest young talents in Mexican football, and he is without question one of the most composed young Mexicans strikers in recent history. His goalscoring record with León and youth national teams speaks for itself, and what makes him special is he is as good academically as he is good on the field, something that is very rare for a player his age.

On Wednesday, Macias did look a little selfish at times, but he can be forgiven for trying too hard with rumors of various clubs scouts in attendance. On paper, Macias is El Tri’s starting striker of the future, and while his development will undoubtedly require future patience, he gave a very nice glimpse of what he is capable of when wearing the green jersey.

It’s good to see Mexico play outside the U.S./Estadio Azteca

There is no greater joy as a Mexico fan than watching your national team play in your own hometown/homestate. In that regard, it is a shame there isn’t more Mexicans who get to experience this privilege simply because of the Mexican Federation’s thirst for profit and unexplained preference to play at the Estadio Azteca. That’s why this game played at Toluca’s Estadio Nemesio Diez was a nice change of scenery and a pleasant surprise from the higher ups in the FMF. At the end of the day, this was only a friendly, but it would be really nice to see a high-pressure World Cup qualifier played at the Estadio Nemesio Diez. Maybe one day...