On Friday night, Mexico earned three crucial points at Estadio Azteca with a 2-0 victory over Costa Rica. Thanks to goals from Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez and Nestor Araujo, El Tri has continued its bright start in CONCACAF's World Cup qualifying, with two wins in the first three matches of the Hexagonal.
With the victory in hand, Mexico will now face Trinidad and Tobago in its next qualifying game March 28.
Positives
The big positive takeaway was Hernandez's goal, which now puts him level with Jared Borgetti as Mexico's all-time leading scorer.
There's also something to be said about how well El Tri played without several key players on the pitch. Without noteworthy names like Giovani dos Santos, Hirving Lozano, Jesus "Tecatito" Corona and Andres Guardado, Mexico was able to comfortably gain a 2-0 win at the Azteca.
Negatives
No injury updates yet, but Hernandez appeared to be hurt as he hobbled off the field during the 66th minute.
Hector Herrera, who has so far been underwhelming for Porto this year, was also discouraging for fans with his lackluster performance. The 26-year-old has been a go-to player in the recent past for Mexico, but is unfortunately losing his relevance.
Manager rating out of 10
8 -- Juan Carlos Osorio did an excellent job of fielding a strong starting lineup for Mexico despite the injuries. El Tri thrived without certain influential members of the roster and helped keep the team undefeated in the qualifying run. Fans are at times right to judge the coach who loves to tinker, but on Friday, there was little to nothing for Mexico supporters to be angry about.
Player ratings (1-10; 10 = best. Players introduced after 70 minutes get no rating)
GK Guillermo Ochoa, 7.5 -- Provided a big save in the first half that could have led to an early goal for Costa Rica. Was confident and in control with his clean sheet for El Tri.
DF Carlos Salcedo, 6.5 -- After a fairly quiet first half, gradually began to produce important moments in Mexico's back line. However, he still looked slightly awkward in his right-back position.
DF Nestor Araujo, 7.5 -- Worked well with Hector Moreno and provided Mexico's second goal off a header in the 45th minute. Another impressive evening for the Santos Laguna defender, who continues to exceed expectations.
DF Hector Moreno, 7 -- Was a leader in the backline, excellent with his distribution and vital with his interceptions. His only negative moment was an aggressive tackle in the first half, which led to a yellow card.
DF Miguel Layun, 6 -- Was more conservative than usual with his crosses and shots from distance. That said, the high-pressing left-back helped contribute to the build-up of several attacking plays.
MF Hector Herrera, 4 -- Where was he? The midfielder was lost throughout his time on the pitch and rarely provided much for the squad. Osorio might need to bench him during Mexico's next match.
MF Rafael Marquez, 7 -- Put in a solid performance in the heart of the starting XI. Helped slow down the pace of the game and provided countless short passes in the midfield. Mexico's 38-year-old captain is still a key figure.
MF Jonathan dos Santos, 8 -- Was the hardest-working player in the Azteca. Covered an immense amount of space and was constantly pressuring Costa Rica in the midfield. Was simply one of his team's best.
FW Carlos Vela, 8 -- The man of the match. Vela was brilliant with his movement on the ball and provided the assist for both goals. In a game in which Mexico needed someone to step up in the attack, he took charge.
FW Javier Hernandez, 7.5 -- Helped El Tri hit the ground running with a goal in the seventh minute. Is now one strike away from becoming Mexico's all-time leading goal scorer.
FW Oribe Peralta, 4 -- Put in a disappointing performance. Had little impact in the attack and was constantly caught losing possession. After a poor first 45 minutes, he was substituted out during halftime.
Substitutes
MF Jurgen Damm, 5 -- Came on at halftime for Peralta. Was an immediate upgrade over his teammate, but also one that squandered opportunities in the attack.
MF Jesus Molina, 7 -- Was substituted in during the 61st minute for Marquez. Helped keep Mexico's lead through his control of the midfield.
FW Raul Jimenez, 6.5 -- Came on in the 66th minute for Hernandez. Nearly had a goal off a shot from distance, but also missed a late opportunity which could have secured a third in the match.