Mexico won the bronze medal with a formidable performance against Japan

The co-feature final of the men’s soccer competition at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics brought together two well-known rivals. Although the crossing in the group stage favored the host country, Mexico managed to counteract the favoritism and the locality of Japan to be able to get the bronze medal with an accurate step. Thus, by the hand of Jaime Lozano, the 23 footballers culminated a process with a brilliant performance that added the fourth medal for the medal of the national delegation during Tokyo 2020.

They had to pass 53 years for the two leading squads to meet again in phase and tournament. In the midst of the controversy surrounding Mexican soccer, the match for the third place of the 1968 Olympic Games was won by the Japanese and the Azteca Stadium booed the performance of the hosts. However, the story written inside the Saitama Stadium on August 6, 2021 changed the roles.

The intensity was present from the first seconds. In such a short and transcendent tournament, players hardly have time to plan matches. Thanks to the dynamics dictated by the fast pace, the locals wanted to surprise with a play in the first minutes of the game. But nevertheless, the Mexican rear resisted the onslaught and avoided the repetition of the scene that took place days before.

The first warning was enough for the decisive players to assert their weight on the pitch. The Mexicans began to take control of the ball and the rear commanded by Guillermo Ochoa knew how to counteract the particular Japanese style of play. With the ball in his control, the creation of opportunities and arrivals in attack began to be more frequent.

That way, with 12 minutes on the clock, a controversial arbitration decision awarded a penalty to the visitors. It was not necessary to check in the VAR the contact about Alexis Vega after an overflow. Sebastian Cordova had the confidence and outlined to resume the meeting. His peculiar style of taking the penalty, with a few meters in profile, prevented Kosei Tani from guessing the trajectory. With a masterful deception and execution, the Americanista opened the scoring.

The Japanese sought immediate reaction. Five minutes later, in a counterattack, they approached Ochoa’s goal, but a timely departure prevented the tie. The attack from Mexico did not stop. One more foul awarded them a free kick near the rival area. Again, Córdova requested the ball and sent a cross that Johan Vázquez managed to anticipate. The defender’s run gave the precise power to the ball that crossed the line without the goalkeeper being able to respond. The score was put two to zero.

The shares went to rest with the partial advantage for Mexico. After fifteen minutes, Japan jumped onto the pitch with the conviction of tying. When his presence on the field threatened to get closer on the scoreboard, Diego Lainez starred in a play that prevented him from continuing in the game. A strong collision with a defender led him to come out and end the match with his right leg immobilized.

However, moments before he left the goal, Cordova, again, he served a corner kick to one of the best players throughout the tournament. Alexis Vega soared through the air and finished off with his head to put the ball to one side of the post. With the third score of the match, he also rounded off the great performances he had throughout the process since the Concacaf Pre-Olympic tournament.

Despite the downside, Japan did not fold its arms and was constantly on the attack. However, Guillermo Ochoa intervened in each of the rivals’ opportunities, except at minute 77, when Kaoru Mitoma he avoided the mark of Johan Vázquez and César Montes and was able to discount a bit. Nonetheless, Mexico finished the ninety minutes with two goals up.

With the final whistle, the Mexican players knelt on the grass with smiles on their faces and the task of being the long-awaited generational replacement in the Absolute Selection. For his part, Lozano earned the recognition of having directed a group of young people who, although they did not achieve the feat of London 2012, They did lay the foundations for a project that promises the development of Mexican soccer in the international context.

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