For over an hour in Honduras, Mexico played like the team we expected to dominate CONCACAF qualifying. Their two sublime pieces of?execution?gave Javier ?Chicharito? Hern?ndez a double before the hour mark and?El Tri a 2-0 lead in San Pedro Sula.?But 20 terrible minutes to close out the match allowed the?Catrachos?to fight back for a valuable point, with goals late from Carlo Costly and Jerry Bengston leaving the teams drawn, 2-2.
Dropping points at home in World Cup Qualifying is never the ideal situation, but the Hondurans will put this result in context and be happy with their point. Though Mexico is now 0-0-2 to begin their Hex, they?re still expected to win this tournament. For the teams battling for those second and third spots ? positions that will qualify them for Brazil 2014 ? any points you can get off the Mexicans are good ones. There?s a good chance your rivals won?t be able to duplicate your result. Having fought back to draw a match many onlookers would have felt lost, Honduras can feel a sense of accomplishment despite dropping two points at home.
That?s the telling context for a comeback that looked unlikely after?Chicharito poked home a Carlos Salcedo restart in the 54th minute. But after a short lull where it seemed the match?s final half hour would leave the home side empty handed, the Hondurans woke up.
In the 77th minute, a floated far post corner kick?by Mario Martinez saw Carlo Costly rise above the Mexican defense to hammer his header past Guillermo Ochoa. Shortly after the ensuing kickoff, Costly drew a penalty from Francisco Javier Rodriguez, giving Jerry Bengston a chance to equalize from the spot. Ochoa saved the initial try headed for the lower left corner, but the block back to Bengston allowed the Revolution striker to bury the tying goal.
In broad strokes, the match played out similarly to Honduras?s February qualifier against the United States. They dominated possession and were able to put more shots toward goal but still fell behind. Lack of execution in the final third meant the?Catrachos?struggled to convert control into chances, but thanks to late charges, Luis Fernando Su?rez?s team was able to get valuable results from both matches.
Through two rounds, Honduras is 1-0-1, their four points earned against the teams expected to finish in the table?s top two spots. If they can replicate these performances (if not necessarily the results) on the road, Honduras will easily qualify for a second consecutive World Cup.
As for Mexico, they will be disappointed. Great work from Andres Guardado allowed Chicharito to head the team in front on 28 minutes, allowing Mexico to lead for the 52 minutes. The performance promised to put their round one stumble behind them.
But with a late collapse compounding their draw in Mexico against Jamaica, it may be time to wonder if?El Tri will be as dominant as expected. Yes, Honduras is an extremely difficult opponent, particularly in San Pedro Sula, but this is a game Mexico was expected to win.
And through 77 minutes, Jose Manuel de la Torre?s team met those expectations. Within this struggling side, we can still see the team that will likely win this tournament. But now 20 percent through the competition without a win (and with a match against their ?rivals on the horizon), Mexico?s close to a mini-crisis of their own.
Tuesday against the United States isn?t a must win, but serious questions are going to be asked if Mexico finishes the Hex?s third round with a zero in the win column. Too much is expected of this team to brush off even the smallest of slumps.
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