Belarus vs. Mexico: Score, Report and Reaction from International Friendly

Pavel Nekhajchik scored the winner with his first touch, as Belarus came from behind to beat Mexico 3-2 in an exciting international friendly Tuesday at the Borisov Arena in Barysaw.

After a scoreless first half that featured few chances at either end, the match came to life in the second 45 minutes. Mexico led twice through a pair of Raul Jimenez goals, but Belarus struck back quickly both times, first through Sergey Kislyak and then Nikolai Signevich.

With the score still 2-2 heading into the final 10 minutes, substitute Nekhajchik volleyed in following a deflection to give Belarus an unlikely victory in the first match between these two sides.

The latest FIFA World Ranking showed a significant disparity between the two sides, with Mexico coming in at No. 17 and Belarus at No. 106. But Belarus were the better side in the early stages, creating more danger as Mexico struggled to settle amid the cold conditions.

Belarus' first chance came in the fifth minute, as Mikhail Gordeychuk pulled back for Igor Shitov on the right. Shitov crossed into the middle, where the ball was knocked down into the path of Anton Putsila. Putsila sent a deflected shot off target.

The hosts threatened again in the 21st minute, with Ilia Aleksievich slicing a shot wide after Belarus swept down the field. Two minutes later, Signevich shot into the side netting after Mexico failed to clear their box.

Mexico had a strong penalty appeal in the 34th minute after Giovani dos Santos went to ground in the Belarus box following a challenge by Aleksei Yanushkevich. Replays clearly showed contact, but the referee allowed play to continue.

Sergei Grits/Associated Press

The visitors carved out their first real chance in the 42nd minute. Dos Santos held up the ball along the edge of the box and slipped a pass through to Arturo Gonzalez on the left. Gonzalez shot on target, but Belarus goalkeeper Sergey Chernik saved to keep the match scoreless heading into half-time.

After the break, the match quickly sparked to life.

Mexico broke the deadlock in the 48th minute. Jonathan dos Santos served as creator, holding off a pair of defenders along the edge of the box before chipping an angled pass over the top to Jimenez. Having beaten the offside trap, Jimenez chested the ball down before finishing low past Chernik for a 1-0 Mexico lead.

It did not last long. Belarus won a penalty only one minute later after Paul Aguilar clattered into Kislyak in the box. Mexico goalkeeper Alfredo Talavera kept out Igor Stasevich's penalty, but Kislyak reacted quickest to power in the rebound for a 50th-minute equaliser.

Mexico retook the lead quickly. In the 53rd minute, Jimenez and Giovani dos Santos combined on the right side before both continued their runs into the attacking third. Dos Santos crossed from the right flank to an unmarked Jimenez, who tapped in Mexico's second.

Sergei Grits/Associated Press

Once again, though, the lead did not last. Belarus drew level a second time just two minutes later, with an unmarked Signevich heading in from Putsila's cross.

With the score now 2-2, chances continued to come. In the 69th minute, Jonathan dos Santos chipped narrowly over the bar after Belarus failed to clear a corner. Belarus broke forward at pace in the 78th minute, but Aleksievich blasted wide after being teed up at the back post.

The latter was a glaring miss, but it did not prove costly. In the 81st minute, a shot deflected directly into the path of Nekhajchik, who had entered the match as a substitute only moments earlier. With his first touch, Nekhajchik volleyed past Talavera and into the net for what turned out to be the winner.

Reaction

Mexico coach Miguel Herrera (via ESPN FC):

"

A group that gets distracted easily looks nothing like a team. It was a match with many mistakes, with indifference, before a rival that never stopped running, never stopped trying. We didn't concentrate, and didn't have the composure that a Mexico team should have."

…

All the matches count, and we evaluate each player after each match. We observe what criteria the players meet and what they don't. But I didn't like our attitude. This was a match we should have taken advantage of, and we were overconfident, we made mistakes we shouldn't have and all that was a result of not having the right attitude.

"

Mexico winger Andres Guardado (via ESPN FC):

"

We can't play this way; that is not how you defend the Mexico shirt. We weren't paying attention, we weren't careful and we didn't have have the level of concentration needed at key moments in the match and we allowed our rival to beat us. If the opponent is superior, well then it is understandable, but in this case, we allowed them to grow.

"