The shadow of 2013 is chasing Mexico again: in that year, the unbelievable happened, and El Trilost its superpower of winning almost every game held at the Azteca Stadium. The consequence was almost missing the FIFA World Cup Brazil 2014. Almost ten years after, the story could be very similar.
Tata Martino‘s team is facing Panama at home in a crucial game for both teams in the Concacaf 2022 World Cup Qualifiers. The Argentinian former FC Barcelona coach is living hisworst moment since he arrived on the Mexican squad in 2019.
On the other hand, the Panamanian team, trained by Danish coachThomas Christiansen looks confident in its skills, and its recent results prove it. Three victories in the last 4 matches in the Concacaf Qualifiers havethe Canaleroson the verge of conquering just their second ticketto a FIFA World Cup.
The double danger for Mexico in itsmatch against Panama
Mexico has had really hard times on its last 4 games in the World Cup Qualifiers. Two defeats in a row, against the United States and Canada, by the end of 2021; then, ahard-fought win in Jamaica, thanks to two late goals, and a draw with no goals vs Costa Rica at the Azteca Stadium exemplify that Martino’s team is not in a good shape.
Currently, Panama is a way much harder rival than Jamaica or Costa Rica; ifEl Trihas suffered against the latter two, it is not crazy to conceive the chance of witnessing the third defeat in Mexican history at home in the Concacaf Qualifiers.
What is worrying for Mexico is that a loss could not only impact the statistics books: Panama would toss it to the fourth spot in the standings, which would mean that Tata Martino’s boys would lose the chance to grab a direct flight to Qatar 2022. If this happens, againan Inter-continental playoff wouldbe the only way to cross the bridge into FIFA’s World Cup.
The second risk for Mexico if Panama defeats it
According to Fox Sports Mexico‘s journalist Fernando Cevallos, the Mexican Soccer Federation has already given Gerardo Martino an ultimatum: if his team loses against Panama at the Azteca Stadium he will be immediately fired.
Then, with only three more games left to be played in the Concacaf Qualifiers, the new Mexican coach would have a very complicated mission ahead. The same source, Fox Sports Mexico, shared that there are already contemplated candidates to take Martino’s job in case of disaster: former Mexican National coach Miguel PiojoHerrera at the top of the list, San Jose Earthquake‘s current coach Matias Almeyda, Ricardo TucaFerretti, and former SD Huesca coach Ignacio Ambriz.