Mexico’s national soccer team bowed out of the round of 16 of the U-17 World Cup in Qatar on Tuesday after losing 5-0 to Portugal, in a match in which they played with one man down from the 35th minute due to the expulsion of defender José Navarro, the gray protagonist of the match.
Portugal dominated possession from the start to take control of the game. In a defensive lapse by Mexico, Navarro committed a clear penalty on Portugal’s Duarte Cunha and Rafael Quintas scored from 11 meters to make it 1-0 in the 15th minute.
Portugal increases lead
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The script continued in the same way, but with Mexico more convinced in their search for an equalizer.
On a free kick, Navarro hit Portuguese Bernardo Lima in the face with his elbow when the ball was in the air and was sent off by the referee after reviewing the VAR in the 35th minute.
Mexico held on to the 1-0 lead until the end of the first half, but the second blow came just three minutes after coming out of the locker room.
Portuguese striker Anisio Cabral received an uncontested through ball and beat goalkeeper Santiago López to make it 2-0 (min.48).
With everything under control, Portugal took advantage of their numerical superiority to continue creating danger.
Mexico could have pulled one back in the 70th minute when Adrián Villa’s shot from outside the area went just wide of Romario Cunha’s goal.
Three final blows
The Mexican team pushed forward more and again made concessions at the back.
In four fateful minutes for Mexico, Portugal sealed the deal by scoring three goals in a row.
Zeega (3-0), Miguel Figueiredo (4-0) and Yoan Pereira (5-0) in the 81st, 84th and 85th minutes, respectively.
In the 88th minute, things got even worse for Mexico when goalkeeper Santiago Lopez was sent off after coming out at the wrong time and knocking down a Portuguese player outside his area.
He left his team with nine men in the final minutes.
Thus, Mexico will be eliminated in the round of 16, while Portugal will advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA-organized tournament, where they will face the winner of the Ireland-Switzerland match.
With information from EFE
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