Past Meetings – Mexico v Wales
International
24 May 2018

Past Meetings – Mexico v Wales

Wales are in California to take on Mexico in an international friendly that will bring the two sides together for just the fourth time. 

However, Wales are yet to beat their South American opponents, with the best result coming back in 1958 when the teams played out a 1-1 draw at the FIFA World Cup finals.

Ivor Allchurch opened the scoring for Wales back on 11 June 1958 in front of just over 15,000 fans at Solna in Sweden in what was the second group match for both sides, but an equaliser from Jaime Belmonte in the final minute of the match meant that Jimmy Murphy and his side would have to settle for a draw. Wales had started the campaign with another 1-1 draw against Hungary a few days before, while Mexico had suffered a heavy 3-0 reverse against host nation Sweden.

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Murphy was still manager of Wales when the two sides met again in May 1962 for an international friendly in Mexico City. A brace from Antonio Jasso Almaraz handed the home side a two goal advantage, but the great John Charles reduced the deficit after 69 minutes. However, the match was more notable for Cliff Jones being sent off along with Almaraz just a few minutes before Charles' goal, a decision that meant he was the first player ever to be sent off for Wales.

The two sides did not meet again until May 2012 in what 

would be the first match of Chris Coleman's tenure. The friendly match took place in New Jersey, but two goals from Aldo di Nigris without reply would ensure a 2-0 victory for Mexico. Coleman named three strikers in his starting line-up as Craig Bellamy was selected alongside Steve Morison and Hal Robson-Kanu, while goalkeeper Jason Brown started for what would be his last appearance in a Wales shirt.

“It was a tough game for us,” explained Coleman after the match. “Mexico are a super team, they play with imagination and move the ball well. They have quality in most areas. We suffered with the weather, it was hot for us but we expected that. Teams don’t come much better than Mexico but we gave everything we had. We got into good positions where maybe we could have done better but that was down to fatigue and taking the wrong option. We had worked very hard at nullifying Mexico’s movement but we have been caught out twice from crosses.”

Now six years on from that defeat, new manager Ryan Giggs can expect another tough test like his predecessor did for what will be just his third match in charge of the side. Mexico have qualified for the World Cup finals and the match will form part of their preparation for the tournament as they look ahead to their Group F fixtures against Germany, South Korea and Sweden. Wales trained at the Racecourse on Monday ahead of their trip to the United States, and Giggs explained how he was looking forward to spending some quality time with his squad ahead of the match.

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“I had one and a half training sessions before the first game in China,” Giggs explained. “I didn't want that for my next camp. I wanted five or six good quality training days before the game. I wanted a good climate, I wanted it to be in a decent place, a decent environment and a good game at the end of it. We've got all those things. I've been out to LA in pre-season often enough, the facilities are great. But at the end of it, we've got a very tough game against a very good team, who are obviously going to the World Cup.”

Wales play Mexico at the Rose Bowl Stadium on Tuesday, 29 May at 2:00am and the match will be broadcast live on the BBC Wales Sport website and the BBC Sport app.