Can El Tri maintain the upper hand over Canada?
El Tri has traveled to frigid Edmonton, Alberta, to take on Canada in a critically important World Cup qualifier tonight. Though Mexico’s prospects are cool considering their form this year, it doesn’t compare to the forecast of the game-time temperature – 17˚ F (–8˚C)!
With a loss, El Tri could slip into fourth place of the Concacaf table after eight matches, while the Canadians would climb into second (or first, if Team USA does not win at Jamaica) with six rounds to go.
Coming off a loss to the U.S., “Tata” Martino is expected to make some changes (defender Néstor Araujo is expected back in the line-up after missing the game against the Americans due to a red-card suspension), but the Argentine manager has stubbornly stuck with under-performing veterans thus far.
Canada will be confident since the Canucks held their own against Mexico in Estadio Azteca back last month in a Round 4 match-up, and they’ve won their last three qualifiers at home by a combined score of 8-1.
El Tri enjoys big advantage in head-to-head, but …
Mexico has only lost three times to Canada since their first meeting back in June 1957, and leads the historical rivalry 22-9-3 (65 goals for, 20 goals against).
El Tri leads 12-8-1 in World Cup qualifiers (including the 1-1 draw on Oct. 7). The one loss came just over 45 years ago when Canada defeated Mexico 1-0 in a group-stage match in Vancouver.
Three of Mexico’s 12 wins over Canada in World Cup qualifiers have come at stadiums in The Great White North: 1-0 on Aug. 24, 1972, in Toronto; 2-1 on May 9, 1993, also in Toronto; and, 3-0 on March 25, 2016, in Vancouver (the goals were scored by “Chicharito,” “Chucky” Lozano and “Tecatito” Corona).
As for the three losses handed to El Tri by “Les Rouges,” the most recent came nearly 22 years ago. That’s when Canada stunned Mexico 2-1 in a Gold Cup quarterfinal on Feb. 20, 2000. That game was played in San Diego.
You have to go back another 10 years to find the last time El Tri lost to The Maple Leaf on Canadian soil. The Canucks defeated Mexico on May 13, 1990, by the same 2-1 score line in the final of the North American Nations Cup, a match that was played in Burnaby, British Columbia, at Swangard Stadium. John Catliff scored both goals for Canada.
Next. Roster mismanagement vexes El Tri. dark
Tuesday’s match will mark the fourth time a “Tata” Martino-led Mexican side will match wits with Canada, and the third time this year. The first encounter against the Canucks came on June 20, 2019, and resulted in a 3-1 win for El Tri. Mexico then edged Canada 2-1 in this summer’s Gold Cup semifinal on July 30, before the draw in Estadio Azteca on Oct. 7.