Uriel Antuna, right, had his coming out party for El Tri on Saturday night.
By Ivan Yeo
Once again, Mexico made the Rose Bowl their house.
Mexico has always had great times in the Rose Bowl. From its come-from-behind victory over the United States in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup, to its dramatic extra-time win in the one-game playoff over the U.S. that sent them to the 2017 Confederations Cup, Mexico has always had great times at the Rose Bowl, and enjoyed great fan support each time.
Saturday’s Gold Cup opener against Cuba was no different. Kicking off its campaign for CONCACAF glory on Saturday night, Mexico left no doubt in its latest trip to Pasadena on Saturday night, jumping all over Cuba in the first half and not letting up in the second half, and the end result was a convincing 7-0 win over Cuba.
“The authority we took in this match, that was a good thing,” Mexico head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said.
The win and even the number of goals was expected, but what was not expected was who the majority of the goals would come from. El Tri got a hat trick from Uriel Antuna, who was added to Mexico’s Gold Cup roster just a day ago after Jorge Sanchez was injured and unable to participate. Fortunately, Antuna did not have to travel far to join the team, as he is currently playing his traits for the Los Angeles Galaxy.
“He was very concentrated for 90 minutes,” Martino said about Antuna’s performance on Saturday. “He had an excellent attitude to put pressure and attack.”
It took Mexico just two minutes to assert themselves in the match. Jesus Gallardo crossed a ball into the penalty area, Yasmani Lopez whiffed on the clearance attempt, which allowed Jimenez a point-blank chance at goal. Jimenez touched a ball for the far post area, the ball hit off the post, but Antuna came in and buried the rebound chance to open the scoring for Mexico.
El Tri was just getting started. Gallardo again led a Mexico attack on goal, played a ball forward that took a deflection before falling to the feet of Jimenez inside the penalty area. Jimenez took a quick touch before firing a shot just outside the six-yard box that beat keeper Sandy Sanchez near post. Mexico tripled the lead seven minutes later, as Andres Guardado sent a corner kick into the box, Jimenez one-timed a shot, Sanchez made the save, but Diego Reyes tapped in the rebound chance inside the six-yard box. Mexico capped off its first half frenzy just before halftime, as Jimenez chased down Carlos Rodriguez’s ball, crossed for Roberto Alvarado in the penalty area, Cuban defender Lionis Martinez cut off the cross, but left a juicy chance inside the six and Antuna cashed in, burying the sitter to give Mexico a four-goal lead at halftime.
“We were very serious, not taking time off, not pausing,” Martino said.
The second half was mere window dressing for Mexico. Rodriguez sprung Jimenez in the 64th minute, Jimenez touched a ball into the penalty area before firing a shot between Sanchez’s legs into the back net for a five-goal lead. It became a six-goal lead 10 minutes later, as Antuna chased down a long ball from Orbelin Pineda, Antuna had just the keeper Sanchez to beat, but chose the unselfish play, as he crossed to Alexis Vega, who had joined the break, and Vega buried the open netter. Antuna did get his hat trick six minutes later, as Rodriguez fired a 20-yard volley, Sanchez saved it, bit again, left a juicy rebound inside the six and Antuna came in and buried the shot far post to conclude matters for El Tri.
