If we speak for someone worthy of speaking aloud, it’s for the man of this match in Mexico’s goalkeeper Memo Ochoa. Once again, the veteran goalkeeper playing in his fifth World Cup game, delivered one more time and with such authority by stopping a penalty kick from Barcelona striker Robert Lewandoski.
Still, in today’s game both sides could not find the back of the net despite El Tri’s dominance in the course of the game and with 60% possession to 40% by Poland, and with 15 shots and eight shoots with four direct at goal from Poland.
Mexico had the upper edge in this game over the White and Red, but failed in its attempts being at times close of beating the posts of Juventus man Wojciech Szczęsny in the 63rd minute stopping Alvarez Martin.
If we state this draw was a feat for Mexico after the way they have been playing lately, it is something not to be proud as for Tata Martino. He did not try to make any bold moves, but to send his team and play with a 4-3-3 formation.
He put on the attack on the sides the likes of Alexis Vega and Hirving Lozano with Henry Martin in the middle along a midfield Edson Alvarez Luis Chavez and Hector Herrera on the outside. On defense manager Martino put on Jesus Gallardo and Jorge Sanches on the outside with veteran and Hector Moreno and Cesar Montes as his center backs.
In the end, the player who gets all the credit is the goalkeeper Memo Ochoa in his clinical save that earned for his team a valuable point over a team considered a tough one for El Tri and uplifting the team to boost its morale when they face Argentina on Saturday.
However, Henry Martin struggled and Alexis Vega missed clear would-be goals as El Tri had its share of opportunities to score, but didn’t capitalize on their chances.
As the team lacked accuracy and definition, manager Martino is back to the drawing board to try to find his missing link and a bold and dynamic filled in center forward with a man that can define in the moment of truth.
Now, it’s against Argentina that today shock with its loss against a feeble but not to be messed with Saudi Arabia, the goal for Martino and the Mexican Federation is to reach that elusive fifth game.
In the end, garlands to game hero Guillermo Memo Ochoa!
El Tri
