Mexico concluded their September preparations with a 1-1 draw against Peru in an international friendly. Victor Guzman scored the equalizing goal in the second half to salvage a result after the visitors had taken an early lead.
The match, played on Monday, saw a disciplined Peru side take their chance. Jairo Velez opened the scoring in the 26th minute, testing a Mexican defense that has otherwise been solid in World Cup qualifying, where El Tri sits top with a perfect 9 points from 3 games.
Mexico's response came shortly after the break. In the 49th minute, Denzell Garcia found Victor Guzman in the box, and the forward finished first-time to level the score at 1-1. Manager Rafael Marquez had named a starting eleven with Oscar Garcia in goal and an attacking trio of German Berterame, Orbelin Pineda, and Isaias Violante.
Despite controlling 67% of possession and taking four shots, Mexico failed to create further clear-cut chances. Peru, meanwhile, defended aggressively and collected four yellow cards, with Mateo Chavez the only Mexican player booked. Marquez made several second-half substitutions, introducing the likes of Santiago Gimenez and Roberto Alvarado in search of a winner that never materialized.
This result leaves Mexico with two consecutive friendly draws, following a 1-1 tie with Colombia last week. The team's competitive form remains impeccable, however, as they lead their World Cup qualifying group with a perfect record and a +6 goal difference. The full squad and player data can be found on our stats page.
Focus now shifts to the next competitive fixture. Mexico will travel to face the United States on Friday, October 4th, in a key clash detailed on our fixtures schedule. A win there would solidify their five-point lead at the top of the standings.
