Copa America 2020 Group A: Peruvian Comeback Sets up Mexican Draw

The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2020.

Peruvian Comeback Sets up Mexican Draw

June 19, 2020

Mexico 2 Peru 2

 

Peru’s comeback in the second half surprised Mexico, having scored late in the first period, in their opening encounter of Copa America 2020.

 

Mexico wanted to stamp their authority on the tournament, with Jose Macías the first real effort on goal, shooting into the Peruvian goalkeeper and earning a corner.

 

Not much occurred for fifteen minutes until Jonathan dos Santos took a shot from outside the box. The ball deflected off a Peruvian defender and looped up, hitting where the crossbar and post meet, before falling into the hands of Pedro Gallese.

 

Mexico looked slick in their passes into attacking areas, and though it seemed like it would come to nought, the 40th minute saw everything change. Hector Herrera ran from left midfield to field a pass into space, and as he collected the ball, sized up his shot and made no mistake. Mexico had the vital lead.

 

Mexico then doubled the lead right before the break, as this time it was right midfielder Luis Rodríguez who ran onto a through ball and chipped Gallese with perfection that gave no Peruvian the hope of stopping it.

 

After the break, Jesús Manuel Corona nearly added a third as the Mexicans advanced in droves, though his shot flew to the left of goal.

 

Down the Peru end, working down the right wing seemed to finally pay off as the pass to Paolo Guerrero set him up for a shot that brought Mexican goalkeeper Raul Gudiño into play.

 

Right back Luis Advíncula also gave Peru a slight chance with his two shots back-to-back; the first blocked before Gudiño saved the second. Yoshimar Yúton then closed a clearance, leading to the ball landing on the head of Edison Flores. His shot hit the underside of the crossbar, only to not cross the line.

 

Advíncula then crossed in as the Mexicans muffed taking possession of the ball; however, the Peruvians were not so alert to the potential scoring opportunity that the Central Americans were able to clear.

 

Jefferson Farfán came off the bench to nearly score, only for Player of the Match Gudiño to bend down and save in time. Gudiño then reached the ball at the same time as an advancing Guerrero, and though some claimed it as a penalty, the clash was deemed legal, and play continued.

 

In the 76th minute, Gudiño was unable to stop Guerrero a second time, where the ball chipped over the goalkeeper and bounced into the back of the net. It was from a similar position to their encounter minutes before, only this time, the run was far better, and though the Mexican defence were closer, they could not stop that goal.

 

The match stepped up a gear as Mexico’s back three held firm, even when Farfán and Guerrero combined for a quiet shot. Guerrero then set the ball on the head of Andy Polo, only for the ball to fly wide of the mark. Then, as the result seemed cast, Guerrero found Polo with a sideways through ball. The attacking midfielder struck for goal, only for Gudiño to be good enough. However, rising quickly up the left side of the box was substitute Christopher Gonzáles, and with his first touch of the ball, powered the ball into the open goal.

 

Gudiño, with eleven saves, was unable to gain the full three points for the Mexicans, and it made the next two matches against Guatemala and Colombia for both teams very intriguing.

 

Jose Macías did very little, and will look to be replaced, while Jefferson Farfán is likely to start at right midfield in place of Christian Cueva.