Tag: Mexico National Team

The Memo Wall

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Francisco Guillermo “Memo” Ochoa, one of Mexico’s greatest goalkeepers, had the game of his life against Brazil at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. It was the second group stage match for both teams, and there was plenty of suspenseful moments, but Ochoa was the man of the hour, recording remarkable saves that secured a huge draw for Mexico.

            Mexico were the underdogs against the host nation of the tournament, and Ochoa was in for a treat against an attacking Brazilian side.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab4ErbFgdyw&t=177s

            Ochoa’s first big save of the match came at the 26th minute as he stopped a Neymar header, preventing him from scoring the first goal of the match. Known for his athletic leaping ability, Ochoa made a huge lunge across goal to swat the ball out wide. His next big save came in the 46th minute as Brazil’s Paulinho had a perfect opportunity to score right in front of goal, but Ochoa deflected the shot off his right knee to keep the deadlock intact.

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            Ochoa was only getting started in the first half, little did Brazil know they woke up the beast known as “Memo”. He looked like a man on a mission as he stopped yet another powerful shot from Neymar in the 68th minute with his stomach. Arguably his biggest save in the entire match came late in the 86th minute as Brazil’s Thiago Silva had an open header to score. Ochoa was in the right spot, and by the tips of his fingers stopped the shot from going in and left the whole arena in disbelief. Memo was a different kind of player that match, and he said in a postgame interview, “It was the match of my life.”

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            I remember watching the game with my best friends Gabe and Alex at my house, and it had us all stressed. The three of us were jumping, screaming, and yelling “MEMO!” every time he made a huge save. Even though the game ended in a draw, Mexico fans across the world were relieved, because if it weren’t for Ochoa, Mexico would have definitely lost.

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With this performance, Ochoa cemented his name into one of the greatest goalkeepers that Mexico has ever produced. This is a day that he and millions of Mexico fans will never forget.

The Day Robben crushed Mexico’s heart

On June 29, 2014, a robbery was committed in Fortaleza, Brazil by a man named Arjen Robben. It was the 92nd minute of the round of 16 matchup between Mexico and Netherlands during the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Robben won a controversial game-winning penalty by flopping inside the penalty area. This ended Mexico’s tournament with a 2-1 defeat, but losing by a horrible call still haunts the fans to this day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R8EJoBfh3D8

It has been six years, since this occurred and I for one can never forget how upset I was. Prior to the game, my dad and I discussed the chances of Mexico winning, even though they were not considered favorites. In the 48th minute , Giovanni Dos Santos scored an unlikely goal, and from then on, I believed they were going to pull off the upset. My dad and I jumped and screamed with pure excitement because no one but Mexico fans believed the team was capable of beating the Dutch. Little did I know, that was soon going to change.

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The end of the game was near, and the Dutch were making a late push on a tired Mexican team. Dutchman Wesley Sneijder scored a rocket volley to tie the game in the 87th minute. To be fair, it was a miscommunication between the defenders, because the shot had pace that goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa could not have saved. Nevertheless, the game continued, and the most disgusting play I have ever seen was on the verge of happening.

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Robben’s dive was not a huge surprise because his style of play is really simple. He is fast and cuts inside, but he was always known for falling quite easily. After the call was made, I quickly shouted, “NO ERA PENAL!” The replay had a clear shot that it was not a penalty, but the referee gave the penalty in spite of the players protests. The Dutch scored and won the game, and I fell to the floor in utter disappointment. I lost all respect for Robben after what he did, and I will never forgive him. It is a World Cup moment that will haunt Mexico fans for the rest of time because everyone who watched the game realized that Mexico was robbed.