Believe it or not, Mexico vs. Trinidad & Tobago is becoming one of the most entertaining fixtures in international soccer.
Less than two months after an eight-goal thriller draw between the sides in the CONCACAF Gold Cup group stage, the countries met for the second time this summer in a friendly on Friday night at Rio Tinto Stadium in Salt Lake City, playing to another exciting goalfest draw, this time by a 3-3 score.
It was the first game in charge of the Mexican national team for interim boss Ricardo "Tuca" Ferretti, following the dismissal of Miguel Herrera immediately following Mexico's Gold Cup triumph due to an off-field incident. Playing a largely reserve side, Mexico faced off against a Trinidad & Tobago lineup that featured more regulars from the Gold Cup, but also fielded a few newcomers. Ferretti's lineup is believed to have been made with next week's friendly against Argentina and next month's CONCACAF Cup showdown against the US national team in mind.
T&T found the breakthrough against the run of play in the seventh minute. Keron Cummings dribbled through the midfield unchallenged and eventually unleashed a long-range shot that deflected off a Mexico defender's foot. Jonathan Glenn, making a run to the far post, ran towards the looping ball and headed it past Mexico goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera. It was Glenn's first career goal for the senior national team.
Cummings then doubled the lead himself in the 39th minute, as Glenn challenged Mexico defender Oswaldo Alanis near the endline and won the ball, then dribbled in and sent a low cross into the center of the box, with Cummings burying the shot on the trailing run.
But Mexico answered to cut the lead just a minute later. Carlos Esquivel headed the ball in from the penalty spot off a Jorge Torres Nilo cross to make it 2-1.
El Tri nearly tied it up just after the restart, as Trinidad and Tobago 'keeper Jan-Michael Williams failed to punch away a Mexico cross, but debutant Henry Martin could not capitalize with a tap-in at the far post.
But they got the equalizer in the 55th minute, as second-half substitute Raul Jimenez connected well with Esquivel on a run into the box, and ended up slotting a deflected shot into the net.
The Soca Warriors were not demoralized, however, as a well-placed free kick from just outside the box was sent in by Chicago Fire's Joevin Jones in the 70th minute, going over the Mexican wall and past Talavera, rooted to his position, to give T&T the lead once more.
Unlike the last meeting between the countries, it was Mexico that got the late equalizer, as Hector Herrera unleashed an absolute golazo from range off a corner kick with five minutes left in regulation to make it 3-3. He nearly followed that up with a go-ahead goal off a free kick a few minutes later, but the chance sailed just over the goal.
Trinidad & Tobago's slate for the current international window is complete, while Mexico will take on Argentina at AT&T Stadium in Dallas on Tuesday.
