May 30 (Reuters) – World Cup co-hosts Mexico savoured a confidence-building 1-0 friendly win over Australia in front of a mammoth crowd at the Rose Bowl on Saturday, a result that left both sides’ coaches with hard choices as they prepare to nametheir squads for the tournament.
A Johan Vasquez header from a set-piece gave Mexico the lead in the 28th minute, and the much-changed team held on successfully despite a better second half from the Socceroos following a shaky start.
Mexico coach Javier Aguirre made nine changes from the starting 11 that beat Ghana 2-0 in a friendly in Puebla last week.
There was much to like about the performance of the fringe line-up, barring a howling mistake in defence that should have cost an equalising goal in added time before the main interval.
A long ball forward put Mexico in disarray, with a poor clearance going straight to Mohamed Toure on the edge of the area as goalkeeper Raul Rangel charged off his line.
But the Socceroos striker volleyed wide with an empty goal at his mercy, drawing a collective gasp from the pro-Mexico crowd of 78,479.
That was Australia’s only genuine chance in an opening half in which they were generally under siege.
Chavez blazed over from long range in the 10th minute, and goalkeeper Mat Ryan had to make a fine save 15 minutes later when he tipped a close-range header from Alexis Vega over the bar.
The pressure finally told as Vega swung in a corner kick and Vasquez soared over Aiden O’Neill to thump in a header off the left post.
DRINKS BREAKS
Simulating World Cup conditions, the friendly included mid-half drinks breaks, but their timing – the first in the 32nd minute and the second in the 79th – appeared confusingly ad hoc.
The teams were also permitted 11 substitutions for the friendly – compared with six for a regular World Cup match – and they made liberal use of the quota.
To the delight of Mexican fans, Aguirre replaced Rangel with 40-year-old stopper Guillermo Ochoa for the second half, then triggered five substitutions on the hour-mark, including rising 17-year-old attacker Gilberto Mora.
Australiacoach Tony Popovic followed suit with four changes eight minutes later, and was nearly rewarded immediately when substitute Kai Trewin’s through-ball found Ajdin Hrustic in the area, only for the midfielder to slam his shot straight into Ochoa.
Australia defender Harry Souttar, a hero of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, played his first international since 2024 after prolonged Achilles injury trouble, but attacker Cristian Volpato missed out on a Socceroos debut, following his surprise switch from Italy.
Souttar said Australia would work on their set-piece defending before their final World Cup warmup against Switzerland on June 6 in San Diego.
“To concede off a set-piece was disappointing,” added the Scotland-born centre back.
“It was disappointing to lose, particularly at the end but there were plenty of positives to take from it.”
On 76 minutes, Mexico had a goal disallowed from a free kick taken much too quickly for the referee, triggering a heated exchange between the teams before the kick was re-taken.
Mexico open the World Cup on June 11 against South Africa in Mexico City before playing South Korea and the Czech Republic.
Australia start their campaign against Turkey on June 13, then meet co-hosts United States and Paraguay.
(Reporting by Ian Ransom in Melbourne; Editing by William Mallard and Kate Mayberry)