Mexico Stars Struggle in Bruising Uruguay Clash Despite Missing Crucial Factor

The Mexican national squad managed only a goalless stalemate against Uruguay in a hard-fought but uninspiring encounter at Estadio Corona.

Javier Aguirre's team performed better overall compared to Marcelo Bielsa's Uruguay. The visitors rarely troubled Raúl Rangel between Mexico's posts, though El Tri also struggled to create meaningful opportunities, wasting the limited chances they managed to carve out.

Mexico stood firm against Uruguay's physical approach and aggressive style, showcasing the resilient character cultivated under Aguirre's guidance.

El Tri remains without victory in their previous five matches, netting merely three goals during this period. Nevertheless, Mexico held their own against one of South America's top teams, with several players delivering impressive displays that bolstered their claims for inclusion in the 2026 World Cup squad.

Mexico Player Ratings vs. Uruguay (4-3-3)

*Ratings Provided by FotMob*

GK: Raúl Rangel—7.4: Though jeered by supporters each time he handled the ball—spectators preferred local favorite Carlos Acevedo in goal—he appeared composed when distributing from the back. An uneventful evening for him with only two routine stops.

RB: Israel Reyes—7.3: Faced minimal pressure along Mexico's right side, effectively neutralizing his Club América colleague Brian Rodríguez throughout the match.

CB: César Montes—7.3: The imposing central defender delivered an excellent performance. Operating as the deepest player, he excelled at tracking runs and pressuring opponents upon receiving possession. His defending in open areas was equally impressive.

CB: Johan Vásquez—7.1: His talent for threading passes from deep positions was evident throughout. Defensively, he executed his duties perfectly and produced another commanding display.

LB: Jesús Gallardo—7.4: Another understated yet reliable performance from Mexico's left-back. He showed ambition going forward in the opening period but had less impact following the interval. Still, he remained unbeaten defensively.

DM: Edson Álvarez—6.9: Performed admirably in breaking up play and serving as Mexico's midfield anchor, consistently winning back possession. Reckless challenges resulting in dangerous free-kicks remain an issue requiring attention.

CM: Marcel Ruiz—6.6: Mexico's standout performer during the first half. The Toluca playmaker orchestrated midfield play, consistently locating teammates to advance possession forward.

CM: Erick Sánchez—6.3: Intense physical battles aren't Sánchez's forte. However, he provided composure when in possession, despite managing just 17 pass attempts.

RW: Roberto Alvarado—6.1: A disappointing outing from Alvarado. Vanished for extended periods and contributed little to Mexico's offensive efforts.

ST: Raúl Jiménez—6.1: Well below his recent standards for Mexico. Jiménez struggled against Uruguay's robust center-backs throughout and rarely found himself in threatening positions. Departed the field visibly drained.

LW: Hirving Lozano—6.0: He remained busy and his relentless pressing created several dangerous turnovers. A promising showing before an apparent knock ended his evening prematurely.

Subs not used: Luis Ángel Malagón (GK), Carlos Acevedo (GK), Jesús Orozco, Kevin Álvarez, Mateo Chávez, Fidel Ambriz, Armando González, Jorge Ruvalcava.

Uruguay (4-3-3)

Starting XI: Santiago Mele; Guillermo Varela, José María Giménez, Mathías Olivera; Emiliano Martínez, Rodrigo Bentancur, Rodrigo Salazar, Brian Rodríguez, Rodrigo Aguirre, Juan Manuel Sanabria.

Subs used: Nahitan Nández, Facundo Torres, Maximiliano Araújo

Mexico Player of the Match: Raúl Rangel, Jesús Gallardo

Player of the Match: Mathías Olivera (Uruguay)

Mexico 0–0 Uruguay—How it Unfolded at the Estadio Corona

Aguirre deployed his strongest available lineup at Estadio Corona, one that many expect will closely mirror El Tri's first-choice formation for the 2026 World Cup kickoff.

Mexico dominated from the opening moments, with Aguirre positioning his team aggressively up the field. El Tri's intense pressing troubled Uruguay early on, forcing errors as the visitors attempted to build from defense. However, Mexico failed to convert these turnovers into genuine scoring threats.

Despite Mexico's continued superiority, they couldn't create any real danger before the break. Adding to their concerns, Hirving Lozano was compelled to leave the field with an apparent injury in the final action before halftime.

The pattern remained unchanged after the restart. Both teams displayed considerable intensity and commitment, but lacked precision in the final third. Consequently, supporters began expressing frustration at the absence of meaningful action in either box.

Mexico earned a prime chance to break the deadlock just after the hour. Raúl Jiménez delivered a cross that Uruguay's defense failed to clear properly. The ball dropped ideally for Gilberto Mora, but his curled effort sailed narrowly past the upright, denying the youngster his maiden senior goal for Mexico.

During the closing five minutes, two contentious incidents occurred in both penalty boxes. Rodrigo Bentancur seemed to bring down Germán Berterame. Moments later, César Montes clashed with Maximiliano Araújo at the opposite end. Neither incident was judged penalty-worthy by the officials.

A brief altercation erupted following these incidents in what was arguably the evening's most eventful sequence. Neither team generated any threats during added time, and the match concluded without goals.

Mexico vs. Uruguay Halftime Stats

Mexico vs. Uruguay Full Time Stats