Goalless in Torreón: Mexico and Uruguay play to scoreless draw as concern mounts over Hirving ‘Chucky’ Lozano’s injury

Aguirre started Raúl Rangel ahead of Luis Ángel Malagón and Carlos Acevedo, a decision that drew frustration from many fans at TSM Stadium — home of Santos Laguna, where Acevedo plays. Despite the reaction, Rangel handled the ball well under pressure and contributed to a more fluid buildup for Mexico.

The first half offered few clear chances for either side, with Mexico holding a slight edge. However, the attacking trio of Hirving Lozano, Roberto Alvarado and Raúl Jiménez struggled to trouble Uruguay goalkeeper Santiago Mele, and the match went into halftime scoreless.

Mexico’s setback came just before the break, when Lozano was forced off with a muscle issue. With the severity still unknown, his availability for San Diego FC’s conference semifinals remains in doubt. Gilberto Mora replaced him.

Aguirre introduced Obed Vargas in the 64th minute, marking the midfielder’s first senior appearance for Mexico since October 2024.

Mexico created its best opportunity in the 67th minute, when Mora met a Raúl Jiménez pass inside the box, but his outside-of-the-foot finish curled narrowly wide of Mele’s post.

The result extends Mexico’s winless streak to five matches dating back to the September FIFA window. The team’s last victory under Aguirre came in the Gold Cup final against the United States, followed by four draws and one loss.

Mexico will look to halt that run next Tuesday against Paraguay at the Alamodome in San Antonio.

The best players for the Mexican national team - despite the difficulty of choosing one in a match that lacked chances from both sides in both halves - were Raúl Rangel in goal and Marcel Ruiz in the midfield for El Tri. Both players stood out as key pieces for Aguirre, as Ruiz is a player with great mobility and strong intelligence on the ball, while Rangel looked solid in goal, even though he wasn’t tested much.

The battle for the starting goalkeeper spot heading into the World Cup remains wide open, and it’s yet to be seen who the coach will choose for the match against Paraguay.

The biggest loser of the night was Hirving Lozano, who had only just been brought back into Aguirre’s plans for the September and October international windows, only to suffer yet another muscle injury before he could show anything convincing enough to secure his spot with the Mexican national team. It’s a tough blow for the San Diego FC winger, whose team will face Minnesota on Nov. 24 in the Western Conference semifinals. Mikey Varas’ side could be without one of their top stars, though the severity of the injury is still unknown. For now, the former Napoli player will potentially miss next week’s match against Paraguay at the Alamodome in San Antonio.