2023-06-16 04:38:02
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Christian Pulisic scored twice and the United States extended its lead over Mexico by beating it 3-0 on Thursday to qualify for the CONCACAF Nations League final once morest Canada.
The Chelsea player from the Premier League shook the net at 37 and 46 minutes for the Americans, who have not lost to their southern neighbor since September 2019, a streak that now reaches six games.
Striker Ricardo Peppi came on from the bench to score a goal at 78 for the United States, which the dominog will look for the two-time championship of the tournament in which it was crowned in 2021, defeating the Tri in the final.
Canada defeated Panama 2-0 in the other semifinal bracket.
The defeat exacerbates the crisis of Mexican soccer, which comes from one of its worst participations in a World Cup in Qatar. Led then by Argentine Gerardo Martino, El Tri was eliminated in the group stage for the first time since the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.
That setback culminated in the departure of “Tata” Martino, replaced by his compatriot Diego Cocca, who arrived with a two-time championship with Atlas as his best credentials.
But Cocca, with little time to work, has been harshly questioned because he has not started the generational change that seemed necessary and because the team has had a poor performance in the six games he has led.
Against the United States, nine of the 11 starting players for Mexico participated in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Cocca was absent from the Napoli striker, Hirving Lozano, and from Sevilla, Jesús Corona, both injured, as well as the striker Raúl Jiménez, who participated in a couple of friendlies last week, but is not in his best form.
That factor will likely be considered by Mexican soccer officials, who said recently that Cocca will be evaluated following the CONCACAF Nations League and the upcoming Gold Cup finish.
The match ended with nine players per side following friction caused by the frustration of the Mexican team. Mexico was left with 10 men at 69 due to the expulsion of César Montes, following a strong kick to Falorin Bolagun, 21, who has just scored 21 goals with Reims in Ligue 1.
The United States also finished with 10 with Weston McKennie’s red card in the 71st.
Then Edson Álvarez gave Sergiño Dest a push, who did the same. Then Gerardo Arteaga faced him and they shoved each other, for which both were sent off at 85.
The match also stopped at 89 when the homophobic cry appeared that has cost Mexico more than half a dozen punishments.
The first clear arrival of the game came from the United States at minute 22, when Pulisic entered the area from the left, he removed Edson Álvarez’s mark and eluded Guillermo Ochoa, but his shot went over the goal.
The Americans took the lead when Álvarez mishanded a ball at the entrance to the area, Pulisic recovered it and inside the area he fired a low shot that entered goalkeeper Ochoa’s left flank.
The United States extended their advantage at the start of the second half on a counterattack from the right by Timothy Weah, who, due to speed, took his marker and sent a cross into the heart of the area where Pulisic appeared to convert.
Cocca sent striker Santiago Giménez and Ozziel Herrera onto the field looking for more depth, but to no avail.
The Mexicans had their clearest opportunity until the 76th minute, with a shot from Uriel Antuna that went wide. Then the linesman scored offside.
Shortly following, the Americans ended the beating when Dest filtered a pass to Peppi, who eluded Ochoa and converted with a low shot through the center of the goal.
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