Youth divine treasure. The Mexican team was proclaimed champion of the Concacaf Under-20 championship and raised its number of titles in the regional tournament to 15 after defeating its counterpart from the United States 2-0 in a match in which it had one more player in the second half.
Cristóbal Alfaro scored both goals to give the “Tricolor” the victory, after having previously qualified for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games and next year’s World Cup.
The Mexicans came out to put pressure in their stadium, the Azteca, and in the 3rd minute they were close to taking the lead with Hugo Camberos’ arrival into the area, who finished over the goal.
The United States squad made adjustments, matched the actions and provoked a fight of equals in the middle of the field.
In the 28th minute, the Mexican team went ahead. In a set piece, Alfaro accepted a service and, with a header, beat goalkeeper Kayne Rizvanovich, making it 0-1.
Then, the United States was left with one less man on the field in the 44th minute, when defender Chris Applewhite was sent off in a controversial decision, after a foul on Camberos.
In the second half, although they put little pressure, the host Mexico had the ball and in the 69th minute they increased the difference with a header from Alfaro in an error Rizvanovich, who left a loose ball in the area, it was the final 0-2.
After that, the United States team did little and the Mexicans, with the title in their bag, did not put pressure either. In the end, the title of this youth category remained with Mexico.
This is how they aligned
– United States (0): Kayne Rizvanocich; Rubén Ramos, Josh Torquato (Tristan Brown.69), Braden Dunham, Chris Applewhite; Colin Guske, Cooper Sánchez, Javaun Mussenden (Alexander Shaw m.79), Jaidyn Contreras; Din Klapija, Xantiago Oyharcabal (Brandon Dayes m.45+3).
– Selector: Gonzalo Segares.
– Mexico (2): Juan Liceaga; Cristóbal Alfaro, Yohan Orozco (Edwin Soto m.75), Carlos Hernández, Juan Echilvestre; Henrique Simeone (Diego Covarrubias m.85), Santiago Sandoval, Samir Inda, Juan Sigala (Luis Gómez m.75); Diego Ramírez (Francisco Valenzuela m.61), Hugo Camberos (Luis Gamboa m.61).
– Selector: Alex Diego.
– Goals: 0-1, m.38: Cristóbal Alfaro; 0-2, m.69: Cristóbal Alfaro.
– Referee: Adonis Carrasco, from the Dominican Republic. He admonished Cooper Sánchez, Alexander Shaw, Tristan Brown; Hugo Camberos and Edwin Soto. He expelled Chris Applewthie.
– Incidents: Final match of the Concacaf under-20 tournament played before more than 50,000 fans at the Azteca stadium in Mexico City.
