World Cup Now: 3 takeaways from Mexico’s heroic draw vs. Poland
Memo Ochoa lived up to his legend in Mexico‘s scoreless draw with Robert Lewandowski and Poland at Stadium 974 on Tuesday.
FOX Sports soccer analysts and former United States men’s national team players Jimmy Conrad and Sacha Kljestan gave their takeaways from the game and discussed what the result means for the rest of the group on “World Cup Now.”
[Guillermo Ochoa knows he needs to tap into ‘genius’ level for Mexico]
Conrad: Argentina is the real winner
This result — the draw and the one point each — really benefits Argentina, because if one team had won, there would have been two teams at the top with three points. That would have made it a little harder for Argentina to get back into this knowing they were going to have to face off with Poland and Mexico.
But now, with both teams only walking away with one point, I think they can get a draw and a win and still find themselves in the round of 16, though they might have to face France.
Kljestan: ‘San Memo’ saves the day again
This guy, in his fifth World Cup, is still coming up with big saves for Mexico. He was the Man of the Match, and his PK stop on Lewandowski was the big moment.
Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa stops Robert Lewandowski
Mexico’s Guillermo Ochoa saves a PK from Robert Lewandowski in the 57th minute, preserving El Tri’s tie with Poland.
Kljestan: Mexico’s fans are incredible
If I could give a second Man of the Match, I’d give it to the Mexico fans. They stood up in that stadium. It was 90% Mexico fans in that crowd.
In the second minute, they were already screaming “Olé, olé” when the ball was moving around; even Ian Darke and Landon Donovan were saying, “It feels like Azteca in here.” It’s special when you’re playing in a World Cup where you’re so far away from home, and it still feels like home. That’s really cool.
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