Mexico 5 - New Zealand 1

Photo by Alfredo Estrella

Mexico were hoping to right their foundering campaign at home in Mexico City.  New Zealand were in town for the first leg of their intercontinental playoff series.  Mexico called up a squad completely comprised of locally-based players with a heavy reliance on Club America players.  Club America share the Estadio Azteca with the national side.  Mexico came close to breaking through the five-man backline on the quarter hour mark, but Oribe Peralta could not head Miguel Layun's cross on target.  Soon thereafter, another Layun cross led to a dangerous series of headers in the box that ended with New Zealand goalkeeper Glen Moss punching a header from Raul Jimenez off the line.  A long-distance knuckle ball from Mexico centerback Francisco Rodriguez nearly caught Moss unaware, but Moss was able to punch the ball off the crossbar and out for a corner kick.  On a long through ball, Jimenez was in on goal, but after angling his run, he could only manage to blast a shot into the arms and chest of Moss.  Mexico were dominant with over three-fourths of the possession.  A misplay from Moss led to the opening goal for Mexico.  Moss was too quick to come off his line even though his teammate Andrew Durante had the header clearance covered.  Moss crashed through the back of Durante, and the resulting weak header was pushed into the vacant goal by Paul Aguilar.  An audacious Jimenez airborne backheel flick forced a diving save out of Moss.  Off the resulting corner, Carlos Peña was completely unmarked in the box, so he headed down into the ground, and Jimenez was able to win the header inside the six-yard box to score the second goal for the hosts.

The lone striker for the Kiwis Chris Wood came close to hitting the top corner shortly after coming out of the locker room.  However, Mexico were the side to score early in the second period.  A long ball wide from Rafa Marquez landed at Layun's feet.  Layun rolled a ball into the box behind Ivan Vicelich to a wide open Oribe Peralta for the tap-in goal.  A medium-range free kick taken by Marquez was heading in at the far post before Moss made a diving save out for another Mexican corner.  With ten minutes left in regular time, Layun clinched his man-of-the-match award.  Again, a long ball across the field from Marquez landed at Layun's feet.  Layun crossed into the box perfectly to set up Peralta for a snap header goal.  This was a second assist from Layun's weaker left foot.  A corner kick led to another header opportunity that was buried by captain Marquez as the home side again destroyed the zonal marking system of the Kiwis.  Within one minute, New Zealand found a goal.  Rory Fallon won a contested header in the Mexican box and the second ball fell to Chris James, who hit a volley in off the post that just barely trickled over the line.  Moss had to make yet another long-distance save as Jimenez burned Vicelich off the dribble and decided to have a go.  Mexico win 5-1 and will be facing a very short-handed New Zealand side away in one week's time.  Perhaps New Zealand will be able to correct their poor marking on set pieces during the week off.

New Zealand lose their starting forward Wood, winger Leo Bertos, and centerback Ivan Vicelich for the second leg due to yellow card accumulation throughout qualifying. 

Goals
Mexico
Paul Aguilar 32
Raul Jimenez 40
Oribe Peralta 48, 80
Rafael Marquez 84

New Zealand
Chris James 85

Match Reports:
http://espnfc.com/news/story/_/id/1615578/mexico-blisters-new-zealand-5-1-wcup-playoff?cc=5901
http://www.sbnation.com/soccer/2013/11/13/5101184/mexico-vs-new-zealand-2014-world-cup-qualifying-playoffs-final-score-report

Highlights:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HN9hfuaRUgs