Sports Illustrated Stadium hosted the first match of the first international break in the tristate area since the World Cup. Peru and Mexico faced each other looking ahead to the immediate future. Rafael Marquez is gearing up for the Nations League and the Gold Cup. Mano Menezes is aiming for the Copa America and the World Cup qualifiers. On paper, both nations are rebuilding their squads, and above all, will be looking for positive results in these friendly fixtures to make the necessary changes ahead of the key fixtures down the line.

Trusting the process

Mexico was returning to the East Coast after a 7-year absence. That alone was enough to ensure a good fan turnout. Nevertheless, the momentum was with Gilberto Mora. The young talent continues to impress and was the hero against Colombia in Baltimore a couple of days ago. Peru’s defeat against the USMNT also gave them a morale boost. It’s never easy to bounce back after a 4-1 defeat, despite being a friendly fixture. But as I said before, these are ongoing test runs, especially for Peru. 

The South Americans made a couple of changes from their first fixture. However, the highlight of the match for Peru was Yoshimar Yotun. Sporting Cristal’s midfielder was the game creator for Peru and did well to connect with Wilmer Cartagena to create danger on the wings. So much so that it was a counterattack in that area of the field that led to the opening goal. Pedro Gallese found Jairo Velez with a long ball, anticipating Jeremy Marquez to have a one-on-one chance that found the back of the net.

The goal, however, came with controversy. On the play before the goal, Mexico had to have a penalty shot awarded to them. Isaias Violante had an open goal, but his header struck a defender’s hand and was then cleared for a corner kick. Taking into account that VAR was available for the match, the penalty should have been awarded. Nevertheless, the game continued, and both teams kept a tactical structure that kept them from giving away possession. In fact, both teams relied on creating their chances from the wing. Isaias Violante delivered an outstanding individual performance against Peru. The young striker was a headache for the Peruvian defense down the wing. If anything, he’s also one to watch for the immediate future; hopefully he is able to develop properly and see more of him down the line.

Alvaro Fidalgo and Obed Vargas had good performances as well. But the overall feeling from both teams is that they have an identity in the works. Mexico was able to find the equalizer from a corner kick set piece in the early minutes of the second half. Ironically, it had the blueprint of a classic play by Rafael Marquez himself. Victor Guzman made the run from behind to header the ball into the back of the net. Following the equalizer, the game turned more physical. Both teams continued to base their gameplay on the wings, so the strategy became predictable at times.

Peru might be starting over, but they were able to push back against Mexico and create danger in instances during the match. It was something that Peru was failing to generate in their approach since they last made the World Cup in 2018. While the result might have been a draw, Peru showed a different image in comparison to the game against the USMNT. Both Colombia and Peru have two more friendly fixtures remaining in this October International break.

Looking ahead

Both managers gave insights following the draw. Manager Mano Menezes emphasized the importance of being organized defensively. “If the team is organized in defense, it can create chances to finish off the opponent”. Rafael Marquez, on the other hand, praised how the group was open to play with freedom, allowing him to see different players and styles. His vision is to continue to develop players ahead of future competitions. It was something that Denzell Garcia expanded on in the mixed zone interviews. “The result is important because of how young this squad is. But having someone like Rafael Marquez as a coach motivates you. It’s not only because of what he means to the national team, but because you want to continue working hard so he keeps you in mind for future call-ups. “

Both squads will be looking to end the October international window with Positive results against Chile and Colombia, respectively.