USA beats Mexico 3-0 as Rangel errors lead to two goals
Rafael Márquez lost for the first time as Mexico coach, and El Tri finished a man down in Glendale after Mateo Chávez was sent off.
The United States beat Mexico 3-0 on Saturday in a FIFA-date friendly played in Glendale, Arizona. It was Rafael Márquez's first loss in three matches as coach of El Tri, which had drawn its previous two.
The first goal came in the 28th minute. Gio Reyna sent in a cross, Mexican goalkeeper Raúl "Tala" Rangel could not control it, and Julian Hall, 18, pushed the ball in with no defender near, according to NBC Sports.
For the second, in the 63rd, Rangel tried to play out from the back and handed the ball to Cavan Sullivan, 17, who saw the keeper off his line and scored from about 40 yards. It was his first goal for the U.S. national team.
Mexico went down to ten men in the second half. Mateo Chávez was sent off directly after a foul on Yunus Musah and then putting his hands on Sebastian Berhalter's face. Sources put the card at the 67th or 68th minute.
The third came around the 85th minute, with Mexico a man short: Malik Tillman took advantage of a faulty back-pass. Excélsior places that goal in the 84th, and the exact minute awaits the official match report.
The U.S. closed the window with three wins, after beating Peru 4-1 and Chile 4-2. Mexico is still winless under Márquez.
The day before, Márquez said, according to Infobae, that no starting spot was guaranteed, the goalkeeper's included: "Aquí nadie está asegurado" ("No one is assured here"). After the match, the sources consulted carried no comments from him or from U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino.
