In the sun-drenched land of Glendale, Arizona, a spirited clash between the U.S. men's national team and their archrivals Mexico took place. The friendly match, which ended in a 1-1 draw, saw Jesús Ferreira's 81st-minute goal light up the scoreboard for the U.S., providing a solitary bright spot in an otherwise lackluster affair. Despite the constraints imposed by an awkward schedule, the U.S. team managed to extend their unbeaten streak against Mexico to an impressive five consecutive games.
The first half of the match resembled a slow dance more than a high-stakes encounter, with both teams struggling to find their footing. However, the tempo changed in the 55th minute when Uriel Antuna, the Cruz Azul winger, pounced on a poor back pass from Kellyn Acosta. Antuna left Aaron Long in his wake as he sprinted towards the goal from midfield, his shot to the near post evading a charging Sean Johnson and putting Mexico ahead.
It's worth noting that the U.S. team failed to register a single shot in the first half for the first time since 2018. The combined tally of three total touches in the opposition box during the opening 45 minutes underlines the tepid nature of the first half. Thankfully, the action picked up in the latter stages of the second half, culminating in goals for both teams.
The backdrop to this lackluster encounter was the fact that it was played outside of a FIFA-sanctioned international window. This meant that both the U.S. and Mexico were unable to field their strongest lineups. Sergiño Dest, who has been fighting for playing time while on loan at AC Milan, was the only European-based player to feature in the match. Despite these limitations, the U.S. team included eight players who had been part of the World Cup squad in November, with Dest and center back Walker Zimmerman both having started multiple games in Qatar.
In terms of standout performers, it's difficult to identify any in this particular game, given the makeshift lineups. James Sands put in a solid shift for the U.S. in a defensive midfield role during the first half, displaying versatility by dropping into the backline and providing tactical flexibility in the second half. Sergiño Dest, on the other hand, was a mixed bag, occasionally displaying flashes of brilliance but ultimately delivering an underwhelming performance overall.
The true essence of this friendly match can be summed up as a midweek affair with more commercial appeal than sporting significance, as evidenced by the huge crowd in attendance. However, fans can look forward to a more exciting contest when these two teams meet in the CONCACAF Nations League semifinals in Las Vegas on June 15. With full-strength squads and a trophy at stake, the atmosphere is sure to be electric, reminiscent of the thrilling 3-2 victory for the U.S. in the 2021 Nations League final. In the meantime, both teams will regroup and prepare for the upcoming battles, with lessons learned from this less-than-stellar encounter in Glendale.
" ... a midweek affair with more commercial appeal than sporting significance ... "
Perfectly said.
I also agree about Sands' performance. He didn't impress me when he was with Rangers, but I thought he did well last night. I also thought that Sonora made good use of his limited minutes.