A lightning-quick goal from Mexico debutant Eduarado 'Lalo' Herrera proved the difference as Mexico won a pitched 1-0 victory over Paraguay in an international friendly in Kansas City's Arrowhead Stadium.
Herrera – earning his first senior cap along with goalkeeper Edgar 'Meliton' Hernandez – found the net right on the two-minute mark as he leapt to get a toe on an in-swinging free kick off the foot of Juan Carlos Medina and turn in the cross.
The Pumas UNAM forward nearly made it two goals in six minutes when he blocked a quick free kick attempt deep in the opposition half and rolled it past the goalkeeper, only for Guatemalan referee Walter Lopez to wave off the goal for a foul on Paraguay's Paulo da Silva.
Lopez stayed busy throughout the first half, dishing out no fewer than five yellow cards including four to Paraguay as tempers frayed, but did not snap. Hernandez had a mixed night in goal, making three saves and pitching a shutout while also showing signs of shakiness. Most notably, Paraguay midfielder Richard Ortiz beat him to a corner kick on the stroke of halftime, only to see his effort on an open goal smack the crossbar.
The second half featured less coherence in attack from both sides, though Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez, a goalscorer in Mexico's March 28 win over Ecuador, injected some life in the game after coming on for Herrera in the 59th minute. He drew a free kick in a central location outside the Paraguay area in the 83rd minute, one of Mexico's more dangerous chances of the second stanza, that fellow substitute Giovani dos Santos put over the bar.
Mexico will return to action on April 15 – a non-FIFA date – when they face the United States in San Antonio (8:30 pm ET; Fox Sports 1, UDN, UniMas).
