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Martino’s Mexico down Paraguay 4-2 in friendly
SANTA CLARA, United States, March 27, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Mexico made it two
wins in two matches under coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino Tuesday with a 4-2
victory over Paraguay in a friendly international at Levi’s Stadium.
Jonathan dos Santos’ long wait for a first international goal ended as he
opened the scoring in the sixth minute of his 40th appearance for Mexico.
A Gustavo Gomez own goal in the ninth and Javier Hernandez’s strike in the
24th extended Mexico’s lead, and Luis Montes added a fourth in injury time —
after Paraguay had second-half goals from Hernan Perez and Derlis Gonzalez.
The victory followed a 3-1 win over South American champions Chile in a
friendly last week — an encouraging start for Argentina’s Martino, who was
presented as manager in January saying he was taking on the quest to end
Mexico’s “quarter-finals curse” that has dogged the team for the past seven
World Cups and will do all he can to steer them to the long-sought fifth
match in Qatar in 2022.
In contrast, Argentinian Eduardo Berizzo, named to coach Paraguay in
February, endured a second straight defeat in two matches in charge. Paraguay
fell to Peru 1-0 in a friendly last Friday.
BSS/AFP/MSY/1115 hrs