Tournament favorite Mexico did everything but score in a 0-0 tie with Trinidad and Tobago in the first match of Group A in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Saturday.
The Mexicans had a 30-4 advantage in shots and Trinidad and Tobago goalkeeper Marvin Phillip made seven saves while his teammates had no shots on goal. Mexico, which had 82.5 percent of the possession, also had a goal disallowed in the 91st minute for being offside.
The tie for Mexico was a costly one when midfielder Hirving “Chucky” Lozano was carted off early in the match due to a head or neck injury.
Lozano, who plays as a winger for Napoli in Italy’s Serie A, was shoved in the 11th minute while attacking the goal and as he fell his head contacted with the knee of Phillip. Lozano, who has 14 goals in 49 matches for Mexico, was taken to a hospital, according to a report by FS1.
Play went on as Lozano was on the ground and Hector Herrera immediately rocked a shot off the post before play was stopped for seven minutes to tend to the stricken player.
Mexico came close to scoring in the 84th minute when Phillip made a leaping save on a 30-yard strike from Jesús Corona.
So dominant were the Mexicans that they were credited with two clearances for the match compared to 41 for Trinidad and Tobago.
The match was temporarily halted by the referee in the 87th and 94th minutes because of homophobic chants. Two Mexican matches in last month’s Nations League tournament also were delayed for the same reason.
The defending champion Mexicans, who have won the tournament a record eight times since its inception in 1991, play Guatemala on Wednesday at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas while Trinidad & Tobago meets El Salvador at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas, on Wednesday in the other match.
–Field Level Media