Mexico's Edson Alvarez grimaces in pain during a Copa America Group B soccer match against Jamaica in Houston, Texas, Saturday, June 22, 2024. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
It took 69 minutes and multiple close calls, but Mexico finally broke through in the second half of their Copa América opener against Jamaica on Saturday night.
The goal came from an unlikely source in Gerardo Arteaga, who found the net for just the second time in an El Tri jersey. For the vibrant crowd of mostly Mexican fans at NRG Stadium in Houston, it didn’t matter where it came from just that it finally came after tragedy struck the team in the first half.
Edson Álvarez, El Tri’s most accomplished player, went down with a non-contact injury 27 minutes into the match. He grabbed his hamstring as he lay on the grass writhing in pain. A stretcher was brought out for the West Ham midfielder who was clearly in agony, but he was instead helped off the pitch by two trainers. He wouldn’t return and his status moving forward remains unclear.
What was clear was the emotional impact on the team and the crowd full of El Tri supporters. Losing a player of Alvarez’s quality is a brutal blow for Mexico and the crowd’s energy seemed to wane after seeing arguably their best player helped off the field in tears.
The second half began after a longer than usual delay. El Tri’s tardiness coming out of the locker room continued into the second half until a disallowed Jamaican goal in the 57th minute changed the momentum. Soon after, Mexico was firing shot after shot at Jamaica’s Jahmali Waite, who was making a strong case for man of the match as Andre Blake’s replacement, until Arteaga lashed the ball into the side netting from 20 yards out.
For Mexico, Guillermo Martinez replaces Santiago Gimenez and Carlos Rodriguez comes on for Orbelin Pineda. On the Jamaican side Damion Lowe comes in for Demarai Gray and Michael Hector for Di'Shon Bernard.
Henry Bushnell
And another Mexico chance!
Gimenez the link this time. He finds Julián Quiñones bursting forward. Quiñones takes two excellent touches, into the box, but a Jamaican defender recovers to make a superb last-ditch block.
Perhaps the best chance of the game yet.
Henry Bushnell
Mexico chance!
Santi Gimenez comes alive, drops a shoulder, does everything right, and blasts a right-footed shot toward the roof of the net.
But Jamaican goalkeeper Jahmali Waite reacted really well, and got two palms to it.
Michail Antonio scored from a free header at the back post. He was unmarked — perhaps, in part, because he was offside.
After a VAR review, the goal is disallowed.
Mexico is wobbling, though. Jamaica has started the second half better.
Henry Bushnell
Back underway
Jamaica with the first chance, in the first minute of the second half. Mexican goalkeeper Julio González spilled what seemed like a simple shot.
It's eerily quiet in here.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Second half begins
Play has resumed after another extra long halftime at the 2024 Copa América
Henry Bushnell
Halftime. 0-0.
Blah.
A mixture of golf claps and some boos from the Mexico fans.
The happier of the two teams is probably ... Venezuela, which beat Ecuador 2-1 earlier this evening, and, at this very moment, might be the favorite to win the group.
has been decent so far. El Tri has been excellent in defensive transition. Jamaica (in part due to its own sloppiness) can't get out when it wins the ball.
But there's just not quite enough attacking quality at either end right now to create meaningful chances.
Almost halftime, still 0-0.
Henry Bushnell
Álvarez is a massive loss for Mexico
The entire Mexico bench got up to console Álvarez as he reached the sideline.
He means so much to this team — his presence, his calmness on the ball, his passing, his defensive solidity.
Really difficult to see how El Tri would make a run in this tournament without him.
Yahoo Sports Staff
30' Substitution
Edson Alvarez is helped off the pitch in tears. Replaced by Luis Romo.
Álvarez, by far the most accomplished player on this Mexico roster, pulled up and went down with a non-contact injury. He appeared to be grabbing his hamstring as he writhed on the grass.
One of the worst possible developments for Mexico in this first half. He was helped off the field by two staffers, and replaced by Luis Romo.
Impossible to know the severity, but Álvarez tournament could be over.
Henry Bushnell
Leon Bailey's absence
Shamar Nicholson just went down for Jamaica. Then walked off, and is now back on.
Seems like a good time for a reminder that Jamaica's most talented player, Leon Bailey, would be starting in Nicholson's place — if he weren't in a prolonged spat with the Jamaican Football Federation. Jamaica listed Bailey on its Copa América roster, but Bailey, who plays for Aston Villa in the English Premier League, has declined to participate.
Yahoo Sports Staff
23'
Play has resumed. Nicholson back on his feet.
Yahoo Sports Staff
Jamaica's Shamar Nicholson is down on the field after a header attempt. Play has stopped as trainers attend to him.
This, on one hand, feels like a big occasion for Mexico. A fresh start, in a major tournament, under a manager who isn't (yet) hated.
But the atmosphere feels ... somewhat underwhelming. Or at least standard for El Tri in the States. The stadium is 2/3 full. There's no heightened buzz above and beyond what you'd get for a Nations League or Gold Cup final.
Could be because organizers have priced out fans. Could be because of the deflated expectations around this Mexico team.
Yahoo Sports Staff
🇲🇽 vs. 🇯🇲 starts now!
Yahoo Sports Staff
NRG Stadium at kickoff is… definitely not as full as I thought it’d be for a Mexico Copa América game pic.twitter.com/AYzsl8JPWH
Welcome to our live coverage of Mexico vs. Jamaica in the 2024 Copa América! We are about 60 minutes away from kickoff at NRG Stadium in Houston and Yahoo Sports senior soccer writer Henry Bushnell is on the ground to report from the scene.
Mexico and Jamaica last met in the 2023 Gold Cup semifinal with El Tri advancing to the final after a 3-0 shutout of the Reggae Boyz. Mexico went on to defeat Panama for its ninth Gold Cup title, the most by any team. El Tri's roster for Saturday's match will look much different, however, as managerJaime Lozano has opted to call up younger players instead of mainstays like Henry Martin, Jaime Lozano and Guillermo "Memo" Ochoa.
Still, Mexico is the favorite to win Saturday (-225 at BetMGM) with Jamaica (+650) also missing several of its star players. Aston Villa's Leon Bailey has refused to suit up for Heimir Hallgrímson's squad due to a variety of reasons, but mainly because of a rift with the Jamaican soccer federation. Veteran goalkeeper Andre Blake is also sidelined with a knee injury.
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A buzz of excitement crackled through the hushed arena as the rider gripped the reins of her stuffed steed.Welcome to the strangely exacting world of hobby horsing, the Finnish sport guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Immaculately-coiffed equestrians leap athletically over fences just like in horse jumping, going as fast as they can against the clock straddling their stick steeds.Things are more stately in the dressage, with riders trotting their stick horses with intricately decorated stuffed heads before the discerning eyes of the judges.Some 260 riders from 22 countries -- most women and girls aged between 10 and 20 -- turned up to compete at the 11th annual Finnish championship held in the town of Seinajoki.But despite its vast international reach, from the Arctic to Argentina, hobby horsing is a sport that dares not speak its name.- 'Insane' athleticism -Despite its soaring popularity, it is not officially recognised as a proper sport in its birthplace."We have faced so much bullying and judgement," rider Nara Arlin, 24, told AFP."We know what everyone in the hobby horsing has been through... I think that is the main thing that pulls us together."First invented in Finland more than a decade ago, hobby horsing has taken off at a gallop across the globe. "It is growing every year," said Julia Mikkonen, the chair of the Finnish hobby horse association.This year's championship was "the biggest we have had so far", she added.Beyond the whimsy, great strength and skill is required to jump the obstacles while holding the hobby horse. Some top competitors could give elite hurdlers or gymnasts a run for their money."If you jump over obstacles your hip mobility has to be absolutely insane," said Mikkonen, 20, with some fences up to 110 centimetres (3.6 feet) tall. - 10,000 enthusiasts -"Of course we are all dreaming of having a world championship one day," said Mikkonen, who estimates there are around 10,000 hobby horsers globally."I am still a bit breathless but I am happy with my performance", said 19-year-old Jojo Hanninen as she sat down after her dressage event. To succeed in the sport you have to channel your inner centaur, she said."In hobby horsing, my legs are the horse... I am both horse and human," she said. Hanninen's hobby horse is a grey called Toope, with glittery reins and pink ribbons adorning its white mane.- Welcoming community -Competitors go to great lengths with their horses -- which are also exhibited and judged -- modelling and sewing the heads and adorning them with decorations. "Hobby horses are art," said Arlin, who makes her own.With the cheers of the crowd still ringing in her ears after an impressive show jumping round, she hailed the sport as "the best hobby ever"."You are doing so many things with your hands, brain and the whole body."Like many of her peers, Arlin found hobby horsing through play as a child. "But the older I became, it became more serious," said the rider, who trains by riding real horses, working out in the gym and doing pole dancing.Rainbow flags in the arena reflected the tolerant values underpinning the community. "Horses are mostly seen as a girls' sport, but that is not correct. Anyone can come no matter what gender," Mikkonen said. Every enthusiast AFP spoke to praised the welcoming community that kept them devoted to hobby horsing despite the scornful attitudes all encountered at some point."We have each other's backs," said Arlin. ank/po/fg/smw
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