This one is going to hurt for a while.
El Tri face-planted in the first real test of the Rafa Márquez era, producing a handful of blunders that a grateful U.S. team converted into a 3-0 rout on Saturday night in Arizona.
TRES A CERO IN THE DESERT! 🇺🇸
— U.S. Soccer Men’s National Team (@USMNT) October 4, 2026
Worse than the self-inflicted wounds that left Márquez screaming in frustration, the bloopers by key players might produce significant line-up juggling for Tuesday’s game against Chile.
Multiple errors by goalie Raúl Rangel, fullback Mateo Chávez and defender Diego Campillo might not cost them roster spots for next month’s Concacaf Nations League quarterfinals, but a loss of confidence is surely a possibility.
Mexico pressed forward during the opening 25 minutes, creating three scoring opportunities though failing to get a shot on target.
Then, against the run of play, El Tri was caught napping.
With two Mexico defenders hard against the sideline, U.S. midfielder Gio Reyna charged into the vacated space well ahead of his marker, Orbelín Pineda.
Reyna got deep into the box before sending a low cross that Rangel should have handled. Instead of corralling the ball, the Chivas goalie watched it clank off his right foot and bounce into the path of Julian Hall who, left unmarked by Campillo, simply poked the ball into the net.
Fifteen minutes later, Santi Giménez had a chance to equalize, but was unable to redirect a deflected pass on net from the back side.
Though Mexico enjoyed 60% possession, El Tri went to the locker room trailing 1-0.
Chávez came on to start the second half, but was off-tune from the outset. He turned the ball over the first two times he touched it and was out of position on two other occasions.
In minute 62, Rangel committed a howler. Looking to pass out of the back while outside the goalie box, he passed it straight to Cavan Sullivan and the 17-year-old forward calmly chipped the embarrassed Rangel for a 2-0 lead.
Before Mexico could regain equilibrium, Chávez lost his cool, unnecessarily fouling Yunus Musah before lashing out at Sebastian Berhalter and earning a red card.
Sebastian Berhalter got right in Mateo Chávez’s face after the foul on Musah, refused to back down, and ate a two handed slap that earned Mexico the red.
Some will say he lost control and left his teammates exposed in a rivalry scrap, but that sending-off left El Tri with 10 men and the USMNT closed it out 3-0.
Mateo Chávez should have controlled himself and better still fall to the immediately he was pushed
— @DailyFootyTakes (@DailyFootyTakes) October 4, 2026
El Tri spent the remaining 23 minutes chasing shadows, but was unable to prevent further damage.
In minute 84, Campillo allowed a back pass to roll into the box while trying to shield the ball from Malik Tillman, but the U.S. midfielder circled him and blasted a left-footer into the net past a helpless Rangel.
After this latest gaffe, cameras caught an exasperated Márquez turning toward the El Tri bench, venting his incredulity that the culprits were players expected to be stalwarts in the run-up to the 2030 World Cup.
Rangel, 26, starred for Mexico during the just-completed World Cup, posting four shutouts, while Chávez, 22, appeared to be the heir apparent at left back, scoring a goal in his only World Cup start (against Czechia). Campillo, 24, is bidding to stake claim to a spot in the defensive rotation.
Mexico News Daily
