It took 69 minutes and multiple close calls, but Mexico finally broke through in the second half of their Copa América opener against Jamaica on Saturday night.
The goal came from an unlikely source in Gerardo Arteaga, who found the net for just the second time in an El Tri jersey. For the vibrant crowd of mostly Mexican fans at NRG Stadium in Houston, it didn’t matter where it came from just that it finally came after tragedy struck the team in the first half.
Edson Álvarez, El Tri’s most accomplished player, went down with a non-contact injury 27 minutes into the match. He grabbed his hamstring as he lay on the grass writhing in pain. A stretcher was brought out for the West Ham midfielder who was clearly in agony, but he was instead helped off the pitch by two trainers. He wouldn’t return and his status moving forward remains unclear.
What was clear was the emotional impact on the team and the crowd full of El Tri supporters. Losing a player of Alvarez’s quality is a brutal blow for Mexico and the crowd’s energy seemed to wane after seeing arguably their best player helped off the field in tears.
The second half began after a longer than usual delay. El Tri’s tardiness coming out of the locker room continued into the second half until a disallowed Jamaican goal in the 57th minute changed the momentum. Soon after, Mexico was firing shot after shot at Jamaica’s Jahmali Waite, who was making a strong case for man of the match as Andre Blake’s replacement, until Arteaga lashed the ball into the side netting from 20 yards out.
Celebrations ensued and El Tri was able to hold on for the 1-0 win. Now, Mexico must wait for news of their injured captain.
Here’s how the entire Mexico vs. Jamaica group stage matchup unfolded in real time.
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Full-time: Mexico holds on for a 1-0 win
It wasn’t always pretty. And for a while in the first half, when Edson Álvarez went down and off with his injury in tears, it was devastating.
But Mexico responded well, got a deserved goal, and hung on for three points.
Mixed emotions, assuming Edson’s injury is semi-serious… but they’ll take the three points.
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Mexico hanging on…
Jamaica is pushing for an equalizer. Julio González just got down well to his left to make a save. Pressure still on, though. Into stoppage time now.
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Attendance: 53,763
If tickets were priced reasonably, this surely would’ve been — and should be — a sellout.
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Goal Mexico!
Gerardo Arteaga catches a first-time shot as clean as one possibly can, and lashes it into the side netting from 20 yards out.
Great goal.
The fans erupt.
Celebratory beer showers all around.
It had been coming!
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68′ Substitutions
For Mexico, Guillermo Martinez replaces Santiago Gimenez and Carlos Rodriguez comes on for Orbelin Pineda. On the Jamaican side Damion Lowe comes in for Demarai Gray and Michael Hector for Di’Shon Bernard.
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And another Mexico chance!
Gimenez the link this time. He finds Julián Quiñones bursting forward. Quiñones takes two excellent touches, into the box, but a Jamaican defender recovers to make a superb last-ditch block.
Perhaps the best chance of the game yet.
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Mexico chance!
Santi Gimenez comes alive, drops a shoulder, does everything right, and blasts a right-footed shot toward the roof of the net.
But Jamaican goalkeeper Jahmali Waite reacted really well, and got two palms to it.
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An emblematic sequence just now…
Mexico played some good stuff in its defensive half. Solved a bit of Jamaican pressure. Fans began to “olé.”
But when they tried to go forward, into the final third, via the wing, a simple misplaced pass sank the attacking move.
0-0, 63 minutes gone.
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Jamaica looks dangerous on the break
The game has opened up a bit. Jamaica has begun to find some counterattacking outlets, unlike in the first half.
It feels like a goal is coming. Question is: At which end?
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Now Mexico howls for a penalty…
It looked like a Jamaica player might’ve blocked a shot at the top of the box with his trailing arm.
Referee says play on, though, and the VAR declines to intervene.
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52′ VAR says no goal
Michail Antonio ruled offside.
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Jamaica goal ruled out by VAR
Michail Antonio scored from a free header at the back post. He was unmarked — perhaps, in part, because he was offside.
After a VAR review, the goal is disallowed.
Mexico is wobbling, though. Jamaica has started the second half better.
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Back underway
Jamaica with the first chance, in the first minute of the second half. Mexican goalkeeper Julio González spilled what seemed like a simple shot.
It’s eerily quiet in here.
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Second half begins
Play has resumed after another extra long halftime at the 2024 Copa América
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Halftime. 0-0.
Blah.
A mixture of golf claps and some boos from the Mexico fans.
The happier of the two teams is probably … Venezuela, which beat Ecuador 2-1 earlier this evening, and, at this very moment, might be the favorite to win the group.
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45+1 Romo barely misses the target
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Mexico’s response to the Álvarez injury…
has been decent so far. El Tri has been excellent in defensive transition. Jamaica (in part due to its own sloppiness) can’t get out when it wins the ball.
But there’s just not quite enough attacking quality at either end right now to create meaningful chances.
Almost halftime, still 0-0.
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Álvarez is a massive loss for Mexico
The entire Mexico bench got up to console Álvarez as he reached the sideline.
He means so much to this team — his presence, his calmness on the ball, his passing, his defensive solidity.
Really difficult to see how El Tri would make a run in this tournament without him.
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30′ Substitution
Edson Alvarez is helped off the pitch in tears. Replaced by Luis Romo.
