Mexico end drought, beat Panama in crucial Copa warm-up | OneFootball

The Mexican national team ended an uncomfortable six-match winless streak by defeating Panama 1-0 this Thursday in a friendly played at the Rommel Fernández Stadium. The narrow victory brings relief to coach Javier Aguirre, who is using these January fixtures as a final “entrance exam” to determine the squad list for the 2026 World Cup.

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Mexican Analysis

The match served as a tactical laboratory, with Aguirre testing a five-defender formation, which is rarely seen in his repertoire. Luis Romo was tried as a center-back alongside Eduardo Águila and ‘Toro’ Guzmán, showing a defensive consistency that pleased the coaching staff. The strategy aimed to give the squad more playing time and to find alternatives for the defensive system ahead of the World Cup debut.

Another highlight was the integration of new talents: Brian Gutiérrez and Richard Ledezma made their official debuts after switching allegiance from the United States national team. Gutiérrez impressed with his ball recovery, while Ledezma played the full 90 minutes, displaying defensive assurance and creative flashes in attack, establishing themselves as viable options for the “Tri’s” renewal.

The victory was sealed in stoppage time with an own goal, resulting from an intelligent play by Armando “La Hormiga” González. The forward, who came on during the match, managed to leave the box to pull the defense out of position and force the Panamanian defensive error.

Next Challenge

Now, Mexico moves on to their next test against Bolivia, looking to maintain momentum and further refine the team’s chemistry.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.