Ecuador resisted Mexico’s desperate push and escaped with a 0-0 draw on Sunday night to set up a Copa America quarterfinal against defending champion Argentina and Lionel Messi.
Mexico said goodbye at the first opportunity in a major tournament for the second time, adding to its elimination in the group stage of the World Cup a year and a half ago.
To quarters 🫡 pic.twitter.com/H9xjGS7hXu
— La Tri 🇪🇨 (@LaTri) July 1, 2024
The outcome in the Arizona desert was full of drama when Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar whistled a penalty in the sixth of the eight minutes that were added. But the VAR ended up reversing the decision when it found that Ecuadorian defender Félix Torres cleanly removed the ball from Mexican full-back Gerardo Arteaga.
The goalless draw was enough for the Ecuadorians to add four points and remain in second place in Group B. Venezuela won the group with a perfect nine points.
— La Tri 🇪🇨 (@LaTri) July 1, 2024
Ecuador will face Argentina, reigning continental and world champions, next Thursday in Houston. A day later, Venezuela will face Canada in Arlington, another city in the state of Texas.
Mexico’s El Tri finished with the same four points as Ecuador, but they are going home early after registering a worse goal difference. Jamaica lost all three of its matches and remains in last place.
Forced to win to stay alive, they dominated possession and had the best scoring chances, but they suffered again with the lack of success of their attackers.
This is the third elimination in the first round of the Copa América in Mexico’s last four participations in the tournament.
The result could be enough reason for the Mexican leaders to choose to remove coach Jaime Lozano from office, who in 21 games has a record of 10 wins, seven losses and four draws.
On the contrary, the move to the quarterfinals gives credit to the cycle of Félix Sánchez Bas, the Spanish coach of Ecuador.
Lozano started with his traditional 4-3-3. He only made one change with respect to the starting eleven that had just lost 1-0 against Venezuela, with the entry of César Huerta for Uriel Antuna in the play generation zone.
Huerta was persistent on the right wing, but lacked clarity in the final third.
It was not until the 45th minute that Mexico created a dangerous chance when Giménez’s shot went over the goal.
After the restart, Huerta sent in a cross in the 51st minute that sailed around the six-yard box, with no one able to connect. Shortly after, Giménez tried his luck with a header that went wide.
The best arrival of the Mexicans came in the 64th with a shot by Julián Quiñones that was deflected with difficulty by goalkeeper Alexander Domínguez. On the rebound, Giménez took a shot that grazed the post.
Ecuador responded in the 70th with a shot from Enner Valencia that was blocked by goalkeeper Julio González.
Frustrated by the scoreline that left them out, fans cheering for the Mexican team shouted homophobic slogans at the Ecuadorian goalkeeper three times. The State Farm Stadium public address system warned that the match could be stopped, but that did not happen.
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