This Mexico team was supposed to be different. They were spectacularly talented, had the longest unbeaten streak in the world and were playing what amounted to home matches, with gigantic green-clad crowds packing every stadium they played in.
Copa America Centenario was going to be El Tri’s breakout tournament, as they conquered the Western Hemisphere to win their biggest trophy ever and make their statement as true contenders on the world stage.
Instead, they went out in the first round of the knockout stages, making it no different than every single one of the last six World Cups. And not only were they prematurely eliminated, they were humiliated.
Four goals from Eduardo Vargas helped reigning champions Chile thrash Mexico 7-0 in Santa Clara, Calif.
The loss was coach Juan Carlos Osorio’s first in his 11th game in charge of El Tri and ended Mexico’s 22-game undefeated streak in unsightly fashion.
Chile took the lead in the 15th minute after Edson Puch stroked in a rebound. A swift Chilean attack started by Alexis Sanchez saw Marcelo Diaz free to shoot from the edge of the box and El Tri keeper Guillermo Ochoa palm the ball out into Puch’s path.
Vargas then added his first of four, turning in Jean Beausejour’s cross just before halftime.
Chile extended its lead four minutes after half-time, after Arturo Vidal cut the ball back into Sanchez’s path to tap in Chile’s third.
Vargas then scored in the 52nd, 57th and 74th minutes as Chile racked up the goals against a Mexico side shorn of the confidence it had shown this far in the tournament and a shambles at the back.
Puch netted the final goal of a historic night for both sides — for very different reasons — three minutes from the end.
humiliated.
