MEXICO 3
Diaz 31’, Almanza 41’ U Rivas 84’
IRAQ 1
Kareem 61’
AL AIN // Defending champion Mexico defeated Iraq 3-1 yesterday to rekindle their hopes of progressing to the knock-out stages of the Fifa Under 17 World Cup.
The teams each suffered heavy defeats in their opening matches, creating a must-win mentality for both countries.
The opening 15 minutes saw the teams trade chances, mostly from set pieces, without either seriously threatening to score.
Mexico’s tricky Luis Hernandez offered his team’s best hope down the left wing, and in the 10th minute, set up centre-forward Alejandro Diaz, whose shot sailed over the bar.
For Iraq, Sherko Kareem’s strong running down both wings was rarely matched by any enterprise from his teammates.
On the half-hour, Mexico took the lead when right-back Francisco Calderon crossed for Diaz to score with diving header.
At the other end, Iraq’s best chance of the half fell to defender Abdulzahra Mahdi, who failed to head home from a free kick.
Mexico doubled their lead on 41 minutes when Iraq’s defence failed to clear a long throw, leaving Jose Almaza to drive home a volley past Hayder Mohammed.
Iraq raised their game in the second half, thanks to the efforts of Sherko and Bashar Resan, and a goal arrived from Kareem exactly on the hour, driving a low, hard drive from outside the area.
Seven minutes later, the same player hit the side netting after some dazzling footwork inside the penalty area.
With six minutes left on the clock, Ulises Rivas clinched the contest with Mexico’s third, a first-time, right-footed shot from inside the box.
Mexico coach Raul Guttierrez praised his players for their ability to recover from the 6-1 thrashing by Nigeria, but insisted that plenty of work remains ahead.
“We recovered our confidence in this match,” he said. “ We had some good moments, and we scored some good goals.”
He said that he had to work on the mental attitude of the players going into this match.
“We had to focus on the little positives from the first match, what we did right, “ he said before adding, “ we also had to analyse the mistakes we made, and convince them that the best teams recover from such setbacks.”
Guttierez also had kind words for the losing opposition.
“We thank teams that like to play good, technical football in the right manner,” he said referring to Iraq’s second half display. “We feel proud to play against such teams.”
The Iraq coach Muwafaq Zaidan was understandably disappointed with the result, but lauded his players for their second-half performance.
“We tried to keep it tight defensively in the first half but individual mistake cost us,” he said. “In the second half we went on the attack and as you saw we were the better team.”
Zaidan blamed the lack of preparation time following the Asian Cup for his team’s “tired” performances but insisted that Iraq can look to the future with confidence by drawing on the history of this competition.
“In 2002, we lost three matches but produced a group of players who become regulars for the senior side until this day.”
akhaled@thenational.ae
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