Goalless and with half-empty stands, El Tri draws with Canada

Mexico is a team under constant construction. Different coaches have tried to cement a long-term process since the last World Cup, but they have faced the same underlying problems.

Economic greed, the lack of promotion and relegation, as well as the delay in the training of national team players. Despite these factors, Javier Aguirre’s third term in charge of the Tricolor yesterday tied Canada for the first time (0-0), again in a friendly match with half-empty stands at the AT&T stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Unlike the image he gave on Saturday in his victory over New Zealand, Aguirre appeared impatient, worried, and at times even argued with the flag bearers about several refereeing decisions from his technical area. He was not the man who smiled and patted his players on the back.

Rather, it reflected the situation that the national team is going through when it faces rivals that have grown more rapidly, who are no longer mere participants inside and outside of Concacaf. With fourth place in a zone that they are not familiar with, the Canadians demonstrated this in the last edition of the Copa América.

The number of people in the stands was as small as the level of the Tricolor on the field. Canada played its own game and it was indecipherable. The physical strength of its players, including the star Alphonso Davies and Derek Cornelius, surpassed on more than one occasion the attempts of the Mexicans to make a difference. Nothing worked in the Basque strategy.

Former footballer and assistant Rafael Marquez once again expanded on his decisions from the sidelines, explaining to the defenders how to play out and speed up the pace of their advances. All based on his leadership and experience in the position, but a change was not possible either. On the contrary, the discontent escalated to the stands, where there were whistles and reproaches to the tricolor squad.