Mexico Defeats Ghana 2-0 in Puebla as World Cup Warm-Ups Underway

Brilliant individual goals from Brian Gutiérrez and Guillermo Martínez lifted the Mexican National Team over Ghana in a festive atmosphere at Estadio Cuauhtémoc.

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@miseleccionmx

The Mexican National Team executed a highly encouraging opening performance to kick off the final phase of its preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Playing before a passionate home crowd at the Estadio Cuauhtémoc in Puebla, the side managed by Javier Aguirre secured a confident 2-0 victory over Ghana, allowing the coaching staff to examine tactical variants and assess multiple roster options.

The hometown supporters had barely settled into their seats when Mexico broke the deadlock. In just the 2nd minute of play, midfielder Brian Gutiérrez intelligently read an errant clearing attempt and poor positional recovery by Ghana's goalkeeper, Benjamin Asare. Seizing the ball in the final third, the Guadalajara playmaker set his feet and unleashed a spectacular long-range right-footed strike that sailed over the keeper and into the back of the net to claim a rapid 1-1 advantage.

El Tri dictated the tempo throughout the opening half, utilizing short-passing combinations and an aggressive high-press orchestrated by youngsters Gilberto Mora and Armando "Hormiga" González. Mora nearly doubled the lead in the 20th minute with a strike that rattled off the post, with González unable to control the rebound. Right before intermission, Alexis Vega hit the back of the net with a powerful header, but the assistant referee waved off the goal due to an offside infraction.

Javier Aguirre heavily altered his lineup for the second half, completing five simultaneous substitutions at the 50-minute mark by bringing on established figures such as Carlos Acevedo, Edson Álvarez, and striker Guillermo Martínez. While Ghana attempted to respond via dangerous sequences from Felix Afena Gyan and Samuel Rak-Sakyi, Mexico's defense absorbed the pressure—including a shot that hit Acevedo's crossbar—before launching a clinical counter-attack.

In the 54th minute, Martínez received the ball near the edge of the box, cut back inside to lose his defender, and curled a masterful left-footed shot directly into the top right corner. The definitive 2-0 goal sent the stadium into an absolute frenzy.

The remaining portion of the match allowed Aguirre to manage physical loads and mark the return of central midfielder Luis Chávez, who saw his first minutes after recovering from a lengthy injury. With a disciplined shapes across the pitch, Mexico nullified Ghana's long-ball delivery to close out a clean sheet.

Mexico's preparation tour will resume on Saturday, May 30, when they face Australia at the historic Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, serving as the team's official send-off match on North American soil before the World Cup tournament kicks off.