Mexico beat Australia 1-0 before World Cup squad submission deadline

World Cup cohosts Mexico have savoured a ‌‌confidence-building 1-0 friendly win over Australia in front of a mammoth crowd in the United States with the result leaving both sides’ coaches with hard choices before naming their squads for the tournament.

A Johan Vasquez header from a set piece in the ⁠⁠28th minute on Saturday gave a much-changed Mexico the lead, which they held successfully despite a better second half from the Socceroos after a shaky start at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California.

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Mexico coach Javier Aguirre made nine changes from the starting 11 that beat Ghana 2-0 in a friendly in ⁠⁠Puebla, Mexico, last week.

All 48 participating nations must submit their 26-man World Cup squads to FIFA by Monday for a tournament that begins on June 11 and will be played in Mexico, the US and Canada.

There was much to like about the performance of the fringe lineup, barring a howling mistake in defence that should have cost an equalising goal in added time before the main interval.

A long ball forward put Mexico in disarray with midfielder Luis Chavez heading straight to Mohammed Toure on the edge of the area ‌‌as goalkeeper Raul Rangel charged off his line.

But the Socceroos striker volleyed wide with an empty goal at his mercy, drawing a collective gasp from the pro-Mexico crowd of 78,479.

That was Australia’s only genuine chance in an opening half in which they were largely under siege.

Chavez blazed over from long range in the 10th minute, and goalkeeper Mat Ryan had to make a fine save 15 minutes later when he tipped a close-range header from Alexis Vega over the bar.

The pressure finally told as Vega swung ⁠⁠in a corner kick and Vasquez soared over Aiden O’Neill to thump in ⁠⁠a header off the left post.

Simulating World Cup conditions, the friendly included midhalf drinks breaks, but their timing – the first in the 32nd minute and the second in the 79th – appeared confusingly ad hoc. The teams were also permitted 11 substitutions for the friendly ⁠⁠compared with six for a regular World Cup match, and they made liberal use of the quota.

Aguirre replaced Rangel with 40-year-old stopper Guillermo Ochoa for the second ⁠⁠half to the delight of Mexican fans, then made five substitutions ⁠⁠in the 60th minute, including injecting rising 17-year-old attacker Gilberto Mora.

Popovic followed suit with four changes eight minutes later and was all but rewarded immediately when substitute Kai Trewin’s through-ball found Ajdin Hrustic in the area, only for the midfielder to slam his shot straight ‌‌into Ochoa.

On 76 minutes, Mexico had a goal disallowed from a free kick taken much too quickly for the referee, triggering a heated exchange between the teams before the kick was retaken.

Mexico play the opening match of the World Cup against South Africa in Mexico City before playing South Korea and the Czech Republic.

Australia start their campaign against Turkiye on June 13 and also meet the US and Paraguay.

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