The United States men’s national soccer team is moving slightly closer to World Cup qualification after recording a hard fought scoreless draw with Mexico Thursday in one of the team’s final matches before the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The U.S. had hoped to win in a competitive away game at the Azteca Stadium for the first time, but missed the chances throughout the match that could have given them victory. Star striker Christian Pulisic had two shots saved by Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa.
There were multiple yellow cards for both teams, including one for Mexico’s coach, but the contest, one of the most intense rivalries in international competition, was less tense than in previous years. The number of fans allowed to attend the 87,000-seat capacity Azteca was about half; Mexico had applied a fan ID system following the sanctions leveled over fans’ repeated use of anti-gay slurs by FIFA, soccer’s international governing body.
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