MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM
Mexico continue penalty shootout streak in CONCACAF Nations League comeback against Honduras
Jaime Lozano’s men have qualified for the final four and the 2024 Copa América after a dramatic victory at Estadio Azteca.
Traditionally, the Mexico national team and penalty shootouts have never been the best of friends. Until recently, that is. On Tuesday, Jaime Lozano’s side progressed to the semi-finals of the CONCACAF Nations League, and booked their place in the 2024 Copa América in the process, in dramatic fashion against Honduras.
Edson Álvarez’s injury-time equaliser
Faced with a 2-0 deficit from the first leg in Tegucigalpga, Edson Álvarez’s strike in the 11th minute of injury time forced extra time and penalties at Estadio Azteca, with Santi Giménez, Johan Vasquez, Oberlín Pineda and César Huerta all scoring from the spot, while Luis Malagón saved from Bryan Rochez and Andy Najar missed the Hondurans’ final attempt.
How many consecutive penalty shootouts have Mexico won?
There was plenty of Mexican penalty heartbreak in years gone by, with the national team knocked out of the 1994 World Cup by Bulgaria in a shootout, while Cruz Azul and Pumas lost the finals of the 2001 Copa Libertadores and 2005 Copa Sudamericana respectively in similarly cruel fashion.
But since also being defeated in the semi-finals of the 2005 Confederations Cup by Argentina, Mexico have now won four penalty shootouts in a row. The “hoodoo” is well and truly over.
Honduras suffer same fate as Costa Rica
Coincidentally, Costa Rica were on the receiving end on all three previous occasions. At the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup, the Mexicans won 5-3 from the spot after a 1-1 draw at Soldier Field in Chicago. A match that has, of course, faded into the background as a result of the 5-0 thrashing of the USMNT in the final a few days later.
In the same tournament a decade on, Mexico again emerged victorious against Los Ticos in a shootout, also after a 1-1 draw. Their triumph this time came in the quarter-finals but once more led to them ultimately lifting the trophy, with the Stars and Stripes again beaten in the final.
And in 2021, Mexico made a hat-trick of penalty shootout victories against the same opponents, this time in the Nations League. Following a goalless semi-final, Gerardo “Tata” Martino’s side won from 12 yards at Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, although they went on to lose to the United States in the competition’s inaugural final.