2023-10-15 03:28:03
CHARLOTTE (AP) — Forward Hirving Lozano made a successful return to the Mexican national team by scoring a second-half goal Saturday in a 2-0 victory over Ghana in a friendly match.
“Chucky” Lozano scored the first goal of the match in the 57th minute. Uriel Antuna added a score to 71 to give the victory to Mexico, which is preparing for the CONCACAF Nations League.
The Eredivisie PSV Eindhoven striker had not played for Mexico since March, when he was summoned for friendly matches when Argentine Diego Cocca was the national coach.
Lozano did not play in the final phase of the Nations League or the Gold Cup while he was defining his future in Europe, where he emigrated from the Italian champion Napoli to PSV.
With the result, Mexico broke a two-match winless streak. They had not won since beating Panama in the Gold Cup final.
Coach Jaime Lozano set his record for Mexico at six wins, two draws and one loss.
Mexico will face Germany next Tuesday in Philadelphia, in its second match of the FIFA date.
In November, El Tri will begin the fight to qualify for the Copa América when it faces a rival from CONCACAF in the quarterfinals of the Nations League. That adversary will be settled on Sunday.
In a match that was rocky in its first half and with few goal approaches, Mexico generated the first real danger until the 56th minute, when Erick Sánchez took a shot that was rejected by goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi.
A minute later Mexico took the lead in a set piece play in which Lozano entered the area from the left, cut down a player and converted with a shot through the right post.
Mexico extended its advantage when César Huerta sent a filtered pass to Antuna, who inside the area made a powerful left foot shot to leave Ati-Zigi without a chance.
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