At this point, you get the feeling it'll be a cold day in hell when Mexico takes to the pitch without Memo Ochoa in goal, whose appearances in the latest window of qualifying brought him to a grand total of 125 caps for El Tri — just five behind legendary keeper Jorge Campos.
Tata Martino is obviously rolling with América's No. 1 at the World Cup, and while there can be no argument over the 36-year-old's enduring quality, the manager's reluctance to call in a younger shot-stopper as part of the squad has been a point of contention (35-year-old Jonathan Orozco, 34-year-old Rodolfo Cota and 39-year-old Alfredo Talavera have been the other most recent call-ups).
Twenty-five-year-old Santos Laguna keeper Carlos Acevedo is the leading candidate to make that breakthrough. He was recently part of the young, experimental Mexico squad that played a December friendly against Chile in Austin, Texas, and made a promising debut in the face of 16 shots from la Roja.
"I need to work, I need to be humble, I need to have my feet on the ground," Acevedo told TUDN after the match. "Obviously I'm going to work hard so I can be here again."
It's since been a difficult Clausura for Acevedo's Santos. The club is bottom of the table (alongside Ochoa's América) but got its first win of the season Sunday night against Cruz Azul.
La Máquina did more than enough to win at the Azteca — taking 64 percent possession, launching 23 shots and putting nine on frame — but Acevedo made eight saves, including a penalty stop that was part of a wild four-save sequence, and 20-year-old Diego Medina scored in the 94th minute to earn three points for the Guerreros.
With Santos leading 1-0 in the 22nd, here's Acevedo's stone-walling of Uriel Antuna from the spot, followed by a save on Antuna's follow-up, another on Rafael Baca and and a fourth on Bryan Angulo.
Don Carlos Acevedo López y ya.
Ese es todo el tweet.0-1 #CruzAzul | #ModoGuerrero | #TuClausura2022
¡EN VIVO!
TUDN y @unimas
https://t.co/av7qfuYKqU pic.twitter.com/UnIthn0QnP— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) February 28, 2022
Shortly after that, he turned into a cat to deny Carlos Rodríguez.
No, yaaaaaa. ¿Qué es esto? ¿El show de Carlos Acevedo?
Lo del portero de Santos es ya para aplaudirle de pie.0-1 #CruzAzul | #ModoGuerrero | #TuClausura2022
¡EN VIVO!
TUDN y @unimas
https://t.co/av7qfuYKqU pic.twitter.com/EAnrFSwbDq— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) February 28, 2022
It's still the first half here...
¿Otra? Nombre, ya. ¿Y si solo tuiteamos lo que haga Acevedo?
Lo del arquero de Santos está siendo un escándalo.0-1 #CruzAzul | #ModoGuerrero | #TuClausura2022
¡EN VIVO!
TUDN y @unimas
https://t.co/av7qfuYKqU pic.twitter.com/29mA4jgVjf— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) February 28, 2022
Acevedo was finally beaten by a header in the 64th minute, but he'd done enough to allow this late winner for Santos.
¡Gooooooooooool de @clubsantos!
En los últimos momentos del partido la Máquina pierde el partido luego de este desvío de Aguilar al disparo de Medina.1-2 #CruzAzul | #ModoGuerrero | #TuClausura2022
¡EN VIVO!
TUDN y @unimas
https://t.co/av7qfuYKqU pic.twitter.com/WQHrM2oUDO— TUDN USA (@TUDNUSA) February 28, 2022
Santos returns to action Wednesday against Pumas at Estadio Corona.
