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Second-Half Surge Sends Mexico To U-17 Knockout Rounds
Carlos Campos and Carlos Parra scored goals in the second half as Mexico beat Japan 2-0 and secured their spot in the knockout rounds.
Oct 30, 2009 3:54:36 PM
Switzerland took the group title after beating Brazil 1-0 in a match played concurrently with Mexico's game against Japan, but Mexico are through regardless.
Goalkeeper Jose Rodriguez and Campos were Mexico's standout players and helped El Tri offset a tremendous second-half surge by Japan, who finished the tournament with three losses.
First Half
Mexico started the game out as the aggressor and tested Japanese goalkeeper Yasuhiro Watanabe from the start. Gil Cordero had a pair of early shots on goal but Watanabe was in good position to turn Cordero away.
Abraham Coronado crossed the ball in from the left flank and found Erick Vera, but his open header was well off the mark.
In the 22nd minute, Campos had surprising shot on goal, and one that foreshadowed his second-half fortune. From some 25 yards out, Campos hit a left-footed chip that nearly sailed over Watanabe's head, but the Japanese 'keeper parried the ball away as it sailed down towards the goal.
Japan started to wake up offensively after this as Takashi Usami began to create space for himself and run at the Mexican defense. Usami tested Jose Rodriguez from outside the penatly area but his shot landed on the top of the net as it narrowly evaded Rodriguez.
Campos then had a pair of opportunities on goal within a minute but fanned on them. First, Campos fanned on a left-footed attempt after a cross had come in from the right side of the box in the 32nd minute. A minute later, Campos again had the ball at his feet but this time got a shot on goal - a left-footed volley from 15 yards out. But Watanabe had time and space and made the save.
Mexico finished the first half having had the better of chances but did not quite find the back of the net.
Second Half
Japan had several opportunities in the opening stage of the second half as the Japanese tried to take control of the game. Rodriguez turned away several opportunities in the first 20 minutes of the second half and kept his team in the game because of it.
In the first minute of the second half, Gaku Shibasaki ripped a shot on goal but Rodriguez did well to make the save. Then, Usami was able to beat Rodriguez but his shot hit the crossbar. The ball bounced out but no Japanese player was able to clean up the rebound.
Rodriguez had to make a pair of rapid-fire saves to keep the surging Japanese off the scoreboard. In the 55th minute, Usami shook off Kristian Alvarez's mark and fired a shot on goal that Rodriguez saved. The ball bounced to Sugimoto but fired the rebound right back on goal but Rodriguez, a few yards off his line, made another save.
Against the run of play, Mexico were able to take the lead and open the scoring. Campos held the ball outside of the penalty area and was shielded by Tatsuya Uchida. Campos shook off Uchida enough to create space for himself to shoot and fired a left-footed shot on goal. With more touch than force, the ball dipped over Watanabe's head and settled into the back of the net.
The goal essentially gave Mexico a berth in the knockout rounds, but El Tri pursued the game and eventually got their second goal. Mexico put the game away in the 79th minute. Campos swung a free kick from 40 yards out into the front of the goal and Parra ran onto the ball. Parra hit a header over Watanabe, who was slow in coming off his line. The ball easily sailed into the back of the open net and Mexico celebrated their goal.
Mexico closed out the game without too many problems and finished with a 2-0 win.
Goal.com
For more coverage of the Mexican national teams, visit Goal.com's Mexico section.
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