Mexico are surprisingly struggling to qualify. The reigning Olympic champions needed a win over Costa Rica to stand a chance of going through automatically, while a loss could see them missing out on next years competition altogether.

Mexico who have played in every World Cup since 1990 were on the road in Costa Rica.

And they had a great chance early on. Javier Hernandez is put through. He squares to Oribe Peralta who scuffs what should have been an easy tap in and everythings a bit messy but the ball does eventually go in. Amongst the confusion, the ref blows for offside. But replays show while it wasn’t pretty there wasn’t actually anything wrong with it and the goal should have stood. But 0-0 it stays.

Next it was the home team on the attack Bryan Ruiz skillfully heading to himself to lose the defender and he smashes it in on the turn. What a goal that was. 1-nil to Costa Rica who celebrate wildly despite already being through. Mexico in real trouble.

A couple of minutes later Chicharito is through again. The keeper manages to poke it away but it goes straight to Peralta who smashes it at goal. The ball coming back off the bar, hitting the defender and going in. The score now 1-all.

But in the second half, Costa Rica go in front for a second time. Christian Gamboa finding Alvaro Saborio unmarked in the box. His header makes it 2-1 and that is how it ends. Meaning Mexico were on the verge of elimination.

But it turns out they were given a reprieve, as the USA came back to beat Panama, that meant Mexico finish fourth in the pool, and will take on New Zealand in a two-legged playoff. The winner of that goes to the World Cup. The U.S, Costa Rica, and Honduras take the three automatic places.

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