Raul Jimenez saves Mexico’s World Cup hopes but ‘Tata’ Martino needs to maximize talent to get off hot seat

On paper, there isn’t anything especially noteworthy about a 1-0 home win for Mexico over Panama on Wednesday night. In every World Cup qualifying match at home against the Central Americans (in 2000, 2005, 2013, 2017 and now 2022), El Tri have always walked away with a victory.

But in a near-empty Estadio Azteca, three points against Panama proved to be the most important so far in the tenure of Mexico men’s national team manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino.

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He had to win. Anything less would have likely cost his job.

Losses to the United States and Canada in November’s Octagonal qualifiers, along with bitter losses in the Gold Cup and Nations League finals to the U.S. in 2021, meant Martino had no room for mistakes. Before the start of the latest international break, FMF president Yon de Luisa gave his support to El Tri’s coach but “no guarantees” about his future. Seven points were laid out as the goal that would make the FMF content in the three-game run.

A positive start to the break was earned with a 2-1 away win over Jamaica in a qualifier last Thursday, before a dismal 0-0 draw with Costa Rica at the Azteca on Sunday ultimately brought Martino back to square one. Already in a tenuous position at third in the qualifying table, a loss to Panama would have meant a move down to fourth place in the table and out of a direct spot for the World Cup.

And for almost the entirety of Wednesday’s match, that appeared to be a possibility.

Panama were the better side in the early stages of the match. Led by manager Thomas Christiansen, Los Canaleros didn’t show an ounce of fear as they pushed forward and won several midfield duels against an uncoordinated Mexico.

Things improved after halftime for a more energetic El Tri, but a goal continued to elude them. A correct call from VAR — which highlighted a pass from Hirving “Chucky” Lozano from outside of the endline — ruled out what first appeared to be a goal for Raul Jimenez in the 49th minute. By the 66th minute, things then began to become more worrisome in the scoreless affair when Lozano was stretchered off for an injury, confirmed on Thursday to be a dislocated shoulder.

Reinforcements were brought off the bench by Martino, more attacking pressure followed, and yet still no goal — that is, until a golden opportunity when substitute Diego Lainez won a penalty in the 78th minute.

Jimenez strolled over to the spot with an opportunity to repeat history.

Back in 2013, the then up-and-coming Club America product scored a dramatic late game-winner against Panama in a CONCACAF qualifier at the Azteca. Panama goalkeeper Luis Mejia was on the bench in that game, and a little over six years later, he had a chance to deny Jimenez another similar chance of glory in Wednesday’s defining moment.

Unfazed by the occasion and with the Club America crest emblazoned in the stands in front of him, the Wolverhampton Wanderers star placed the ball right past Mejia in the 80th minute.

With the lone goal, Jimenez not only significantly helped Mexico’s chances at qualifying for Qatar 2022, but also probably saved Martino’s tenure.

CONCACAF table

“The win is welcome,” said a relieved Martino after the match. “It brings us closer to a new World Cup.”

A deserved victory, but much work is left to be done. For Mexico, qualifying for the World Cup is always more of an expectation than an ambition in the CONCACAF region.

And while they are likely to earn that invitation for Qatar in the final three-game round of Octagonal qualifiers in March, it is imperative for Martino to fine-tune his process that had one too many close calls in recent matches.

“What we need to recover is our football, so we can have some aspirations. Both in March’s FIFA date and eventually what may come in the rest of the year,” Martino said in the post-game newconference.

Although he would go on to praise the “strength” of his group, it was undoubtedly moments of individualism, more than group efforts, that pushed Mexico through the latest international window.

Names like Jimenez, Lainez, Henry Martin, Jesus “Tecatito” Corona, and LA Galaxy youngster Julian Araujo dragged Mexico through those seven points. A few of those were substitution decisions that were correctly made by Martino, but they were utilized in matches were Mexico only held the lead for a total of 26 minutes in 270+ minutes of play.

Looking ahead, what then could be changed, considered or reassessed from those subs?

Efficiency and decisiveness in the final third is a prominent issue for the team that went through three scoreless halves at home in the Azteca. Mexico had chances, and 58 total shots through three games to prove it, but only two goals off open play and one off a penalty.

A healthy Jimenez, who was only cleared to start in the last match of the window, would probably resolve this, but behind him as the backup No. 9? Rogelio Funes Mori was scoreless in two starts and hasn’t scored for Mexico since last October. Martin is a strong candidate as the new backup for Jimenez, but the Club America forward has also been known to go on streaks without goals.

The midfield also appears to be an increasingly interesting dilemma. Once set in stone with Edson Alvarez as the defensive midfielder, with captain Andres Guardado on the left and Hector Herrera on the right, there are now possible alterations to this setup. Carlos “Charly” Rodriguez, with starts in all three recent games, is a variable that could potentially steal minutes from Guardado.

Also worth noting in the midfield conversation are Martino’s comments regarding Herrera. Despite criticism from fans about his movement on the field that can come off as too ponderous, El Tri’s manager claimed on Wednesday night that the Atletico Madrid man is “from my point of view, is the best player that Mexico has.”

There is plenty for Martino to consider in the coming weeks, and potentially in his defensive positions as well leading up to a qualifier against the United States in March, but as of now, there can be little complaints about actual points gained during the latest Octagonal games.

Disaster was avoided for El Tri, but that’s far from the goal.