Mexico takes on Uzbekistan in an international friendly at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Tuesday night, marking the first-ever clash between the two nations in Atlanta.
Match Preview:
Mexico enters the game in exceptional form, having won six, drawn one, and lost one of their last eight games in all competitions. Their recent triumph includes clinching the 12th Gold Cup title.
After advancing through the group stage and overcoming Costa Rica and Jamaica without conceding a goal, El Tri secured a hard-fought victory against Panama in the final, with Santiago Gimenez’s 88th-minute goal as the decisive moment.
Mexico faced Australia in their last outing, where they had to overturn a two-goal deficit to salvage a draw.
Although Raul Jimenez and Cesar Huerta found the net for El Tri, their performance fell short of expectations.
They now aim to finish the international break on a high note by claiming a victory against Uzbekistan, who struggled in their recent match.
On the other hand, Uzbekistan suffered a defeat against the USA in their previous encounter, losing 3-0 at CITYPARK.
However, the White Wolves showed glimpses of competitiveness, keeping the deficit to just one goal until stoppage time in the second half.
Srecko Katanec’s side is currently without a goal in their last two matches but had enjoyed solid form prior to a narrow 1-0 loss against Iran. They registered 11 wins, two draws, and one loss in their previous 14 games.
Uzbekistan seeks to gain momentum ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualification campaign, commencing with an away match against Turkmenistan in November.
Team News:
Santiago Gimenez, who has been in sensational form for Feyenoord, scoring five goals in his last three club games, had an underwhelming performance against Australia.
Although he missed a penalty and was eventually substituted, Raul Jimenez, who scored after coming off the bench, might earn a starting spot.
Additionally, Cesar Huerta, who found the back of the net as a substitute, could replace Alexis Vega on the left-wing.
Despite the disappointing result in their last match, Uzbekistan can take positives from certain aspects of their performance.
Coach Srecko Katanec may opt to retain much of the starting lineup, with wing-backs Khojiakbar Alijonov and Farrukh Sayfiyev expected to play more defensively in a 3-4-2-1 formation. Captain Eldor Shomurodov, the record goalscorer for Uzbekistan, will lead the line.
Possible Starting Lineups:
Mexico:
- Ochoa
- Araujo
- Alvarez
- Vasquez
- Gallardo
- Herrera
- Romo
- Pineda
- Antuna
- Jimenez
- Huerta
Uzbekistan:
- Yusupov
- Alikulov
- Eshmurodov
- Ashurmatov
- Alijonov
- Khamrobekov
- Shukurov
- Sayfiyev
- Uronov
- Masharipov
- Shomurodov
Prediction:
We predict a comfortable victory for Mexico, similar to the USA’s performance against Uzbekistan. Fresh off their 12th Gold Cup win, we expect the hosts to secure a convincing win with a 3-0 scoreline in Tuesday’s game.