Mexico was falling, out of the CONCACAF Nations League, far away from the regional throne it once held, when nine promised minutes of stoppage time elapsed.
It was down 2-1 to Honduras in a two-leg quarterfinal inching toward an infuriating conclusion Tuesday night at Estadio Azteca. It was falling further than ever before in the modern era, already on its third coach in 12 months, now threatening to miss out on the 2024 Copa America.
And that’s when Edson Álvarez appeared.
He swooped in to score a 101st-minute goal and save Mexico.
Almost an hour later, El Tri won an absurd penalty shootout.
And CONCACAF executives silently but surely celebrated right alongside the tens of thousands of Mexicans who braved rain and 100-plus minutes of dread.
Luis Chávez had halved Honduras’ first-leg lead with a late-first-half free kick, and brought the Azteca to life. But excitement gradually became groans and disbelief as the hosts missed chance after second-half chance, some of them seemingly unmissable. Julián Quiñones slid a simple shot wide, then fluffed an 88th-minute attempt on the doorstep.
With each successive chance squandered, Mexico crept dangerously close to the brink of calamity.
But then, in the 11th of nine added minutes, Álvarez forced extra time. After more Mexican pressure, and more near-misses, the match went to penalties — where it took another almost unbelievable turn.
Mexico took a lead, via Santi Gimenez and the fingertips of Luis Malagón. It held that lead through three rounds, and then, in the fourth, up stepped César Huerta.
Huerta missed — but Honduran keeper Edrick Menjivar had tiptoed off his line, granting Huerta a re-take.
Huerta missed again — but again, Menjivar had strayed off his line to make the save.
At the third attempt, Huerta scored, barely. Andy Najar missed. Mexico won, qualified for the 2024 Copa America, and made a lot of people hoping to sell tickets and merchandise and sponsorships at the 2024 Nations League finals in Texas very happy.
Daniel Miller is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. His coverage spans from major league championships to local sports events, delivering up-to-the-minute updates and in-depth analysis for sports enthusiasts.
