U.S. plays to 0-0 draw with Mexico, moves closer to qualifying for World Cup

Estadio Azteca rises like a concrete-and-steel citadel from the crowded, dusty boulevards of Mexico’s Santa Úrsula neighborhood. For more than four decades that fortress has been nearly impenetrable, with the country’s national soccer team losing just two competitive matches inside its walls.

But it felt different during Thursday’s World Cup qualifier with the U.S., a game that ended in a 0-0 tie. Gone was the fearsome, intimidating Azteca, where opponents’ World Cup dreams have long gone to die.

With a late-night kickoff, the sweltering weather that melted past invaders gave way to temperatures in the 60s and a slight breeze. And because of sanctions leveled over Mexican fans’ continued used of an anti-gay chant, more than half of the stadium’s 84,000 seats were vacant, leaving the upper deck mostly empty and quiet.

Where Azteca once roared, Thursday it emitted barely a whimper, leaving it to the PA announcer to repeatedly urge the fans to make noise.

In Mexico. During a World Cup qualifier.

But for all that had changed inside Azteca, one thing remained the same: the U.S. still hasn’t won a competitive game there after playing Mexico to the scoreless draw.

The result did run the Americans’ unbeaten streak against Mexico to four games, however, and left them second to Canada in the eight-team qualifying table, ahead of Mexico on goal differential and three points up on fourth-place Costa Rica (5-3-4) with two games remaining.

The top three teams in the CONCACAF tournament qualify for this fall’s World Cup in Qatar, and both the U.S. (6-2-4) and Mexico (6-2-4) can move a big step closer toward reserving their spots with victories Sunday, the Americans over Panama (5-4-3) in Orlando, Fla., and Mexico in Honduras (0-8-4).

Mexico defender Jorge Sanchez, left, and U.S. forward Christian Pulisic battle for the ball in the second half.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Mexico defender Jorge Sanchez, left, tries to steal the ball away from U.S. forward Christian Pulisic in the second half.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

The U.S. will go into Sunday short-handed though after defender DeAndre Yedlin and forward Tim Weah picked up yellow cards in the first half, leaving them suspended for the Panama game. The U.S. was already missing four starters to injury before losing defender Reggie Cannon after he tested positive for COVID-19 this week.

Given the tight standings, Thursday’s game was one neither team could afford to lose — and for much of the night both teams played that way, going forward cautiously and in quick spurts, careful not to leave themselves exposed at the other end.

The best U.S. scoring chance of the first half came in the 35^th minute, when Christian Pulisic broke into the box alone at the left post, only to put his left-footed shot right at Mexican keeper Guillermo Ochoa.

For Pulisic, who scored in each of this last two games with Mexico, it was a golden opportunity that he failed to put away and it proved costly because the U.S. never came closer — although an amazing dribbling display from Gio Reyna on a long cutback run in the 72^nd minute set Jordan Pefok up on the doorstep. But Pefok’s left-footed shot from deep in the box went wide.

U.S. defender DeAndre Yedlin reacts after U.S. forward Christian Pulisic and Mexico goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa collide in the first half at Estadio Azteca.

(Gary Coronado / Los Angeles Times)

Mexico attacked with vigor late and was rewarded with the most dangerous of its two shots on goal in the 60^th minute when Hirving Lozano tested U.S. goalkeeper Zack Steffen with a right-footed shot from outside the box that Steffen stopped.

Mexico also argued for two penalty calls after players were taken down in the box in the second half, but Guatemalan referee Mario Escobar gave neither.

Yet while the noise and heat of a typical Azteca game was missing, the 7,200-foot altitude wasn’t and the thin air announced its presence with authority midway through the second half, leaving players on both sides stumbling to the finish.

It was an unfitting addition to one of the best rivalries in international soccer history, especially given the fact Thursday’s game may prove to be the last competitive match the U.S. plays at Azteca.

With Mexico and the U.S. co-hosting the 2026 World Cup, it’s unlikely either will have to qualify for the tournament. And with the number of CONCACAF teams in the World Cup field doubling from three to six, by 2030 the confederation’s qualifying format will change, perhaps making U.S.-Mexico games at Azteca something for the history books, not the record books.