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HOUSTON, Texas – Guyana’s national football team, the Golden Jaguars suffered a 5-0 loss to CONCACAF giants Mexico, in their penultimate Group B match, of the third round, 2014 World Cup Qualifier, at the BBVA Compass Stadium in Texas, on Friday evening. Scoring the goals for Mexico, colloquially referred to as El Tri, were left-winger Andres Guadardo, strikers Javier Hernandez and Oribe Peralta, mid-fielder Angel Reyna and an unfortunate own-goal from Guyana defender Charles Pollard.
This result officially ends Guyana’s chances of qualifying for the Hexagon ground, after they entered this game with a minuscule mathematical chance of advancing at best, if they had managed to not lose the game.
Before proceedings commenced in front of an almost capacity crowd of 22 000, which predictably had a large Mexican presence, Guyana’s most significant selection was that of young goalkeeper Derrick Carter getting his first competitive start, among a line-up of regular players.
Carter immediately made an impact on the game. In the fourth minute of the game, with ‘Chicarito’ Hernandez clean through on goal, Carter received a yellow card, for fouling him in the box and a penalty was given.
However the star Mexican striker continued to exhibit the scratchy form that he has been showing to date this season for his English premier league club Manchester United, by striking his shot to the top of the crossbar.
The opening 25 minutes continued to be totally dominated by Mexico, with shots fly everywhere and Guyana pegged back in their own half during this period .
The two most notable chances for them occurred in the 11th minute, when right-winger Javier Aquino, charging forward, slammed another shot against the crossbar. Then in the 27th minute some intricate movement in the box between Guadardo and Peralta ended with Peralta missing with the goal at his mercy.
Mexico almost suffered dearly for their inept finishing, when in the 33rd minute the Jaguars missed two wonderful opportunities to score. Firstly Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson took the ball off the Mexican right-back and charged down the left-flank. With the Mexican defence flat-footed due to the defender’s error, he only had to beat keeper Jonathan Orozco, but Richardson hit a timid shot that was parried away for a corner.
From that corner kick, which was also taken by Richardson, the ball, after it was headed away by the Mexican defence, fell invitingly for Pollard in the box, who blasted his shot over the bar.
After this moment the Jaguars began to close down the scoring chances of 2012 Olympic champions and managed to go into the first-half with the game 0-0. The large Mexican contingent in the ground let their disappointment of that score line known, by screaming loud crescendos of jeers.
The second half resumed and it was a repeat of the first half. Plenty Mexican possession – Guyana defending resolutely – Poor Mexican finishing. This poor finishing by the 19th ranked team in the world was best highlighted when Guadardo chipped an inch perfect lobbed through ball into Hernandez, who then volleyed his shot horribly wide in the 69th minute.
At 77 minutes the game remained 0-0. Memories of another famous Caribbean team encounter vs a foot-balling superpower was being recalled, when the Soca Warriors in the 2006 FIFA World Cup held England to a 0-0 score line up until the 80th minute.
But as was the case with Trinidad in 2006, the Jaguars couldn’t hold off the attacks for much longer and collapsed to concede all five of the goals in the final 13 minutes.
First to score in the 77th minute was Guadardo who was a consistent threat all night. He hit a long range shot off a deflected corner kick home. In the 79th minute, lovely movement in the box ended up with Peralta opening his account.
Pollard’s own goal was next to follow in the 83rd minute, as he tried valiantly to clear the ball away from Hernandez. Chicarito eventually was rewarded for his scratchy displays by heading home a left-wing cross in the 84th minute.
Finally, substitute Reyna cut in from the right-flank and hit a power drive past the outstretched gloves of Carter.
This result officially ends Guyana’s chances of qualifying for the Hexagon ground, after they entered this game with a minuscule mathematical chance of advancing at best, if they had managed to not lose the game.
Before proceedings commenced in front of an almost capacity crowd of 22 000, which predictably had a large Mexican presence, Guyana’s most significant selection was that of young goalkeeper Derrick Carter getting his first competitive start, among a line-up of regular players.
Carter immediately made an impact on the game. In the fourth minute of the game, with ‘Chicarito’ Hernandez clean through on goal, Carter received a yellow card, for fouling him in the box and a penalty was given.
However the star Mexican striker continued to exhibit the scratchy form that he has been showing to date this season for his English premier league club Manchester United, by striking his shot to the top of the crossbar.
The opening 25 minutes continued to be totally dominated by Mexico, with shots fly everywhere and Guyana pegged back in their own half during this period .
The two most notable chances for them occurred in the 11th minute, when right-winger Javier Aquino, charging forward, slammed another shot against the crossbar. Then in the 27th minute some intricate movement in the box between Guadardo and Peralta ended with Peralta missing with the goal at his mercy.
Mexico almost suffered dearly for their inept finishing, when in the 33rd minute the Jaguars missed two wonderful opportunities to score. Firstly Gregory ‘Jackie Chan’ Richardson took the ball off the Mexican right-back and charged down the left-flank. With the Mexican defence flat-footed due to the defender’s error, he only had to beat keeper Jonathan Orozco, but Richardson hit a timid shot that was parried away for a corner.
From that corner kick, which was also taken by Richardson, the ball, after it was headed away by the Mexican defence, fell invitingly for Pollard in the box, who blasted his shot over the bar.
After this moment the Jaguars began to close down the scoring chances of 2012 Olympic champions and managed to go into the first-half with the game 0-0. The large Mexican contingent in the ground let their disappointment of that score line known, by screaming loud crescendos of jeers.
The second half resumed and it was a repeat of the first half. Plenty Mexican possession – Guyana defending resolutely – Poor Mexican finishing. This poor finishing by the 19th ranked team in the world was best highlighted when Guadardo chipped an inch perfect lobbed through ball into Hernandez, who then volleyed his shot horribly wide in the 69th minute.
At 77 minutes the game remained 0-0. Memories of another famous Caribbean team encounter vs a foot-balling superpower was being recalled, when the Soca Warriors in the 2006 FIFA World Cup held England to a 0-0 score line up until the 80th minute.
But as was the case with Trinidad in 2006, the Jaguars couldn’t hold off the attacks for much longer and collapsed to concede all five of the goals in the final 13 minutes.
First to score in the 77th minute was Guadardo who was a consistent threat all night. He hit a long range shot off a deflected corner kick home. In the 79th minute, lovely movement in the box ended up with Peralta opening his account.
Pollard’s own goal was next to follow in the 83rd minute, as he tried valiantly to clear the ball away from Hernandez. Chicarito eventually was rewarded for his scratchy displays by heading home a left-wing cross in the 84th minute.
Finally, substitute Reyna cut in from the right-flank and hit a power drive past the outstretched gloves of Carter.
