Mexico can be a surprise. Facing Germany in the inaugural match Group F World Cup 2018 which took place at Luzhniki Stadium, Lozano and colleagues managed to win with the score 1-0.
This victory is clearly a big surprise in Russia. Because, in addition to conquering defending champions, Mexico is also able to show the game interesting and entertaining through aggressiveness, determination, and back-attacks. Germany which throughout the game controlled more than 60% mastery of the ball and release more than 20 shots made no score to score a goal.
Germany actually lowered the players who usually inhabit the composition of their starting XI. The surprise was only present at the left-back post where Marvin Plattenhardt became the core, displacing Jonas Hector. The rest, Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Sami Khedira, Mesut Oezil, to Thomas Mueller immediately played.
Mexico too. Juan Carlos Osorio immediately lowered his best players in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Starting from Gullermo Ochoa at goalkeeper posts, Hector Moreno on the back line, Hector Herrera and Andres Guardado as pivot, to Lozano, Carlos Vela, Mugel Layun and Javier Hernandez up front.
With the arrangement of players like that, many who think Germany will easily master the game. However, the reality that is present in the field is not the case. Since the beginning, through pressing and counterattack, Mexico is able to make Germany hassles.
Hernandez and his comrades are so aggressive in attacking and in fact they look more aggressive than Germany is comfortable with ball possession. The actual evidence was then present in the 35th minute after Lozano created the goal after receiving feedback from Hernandez.
The goal itself is created from the process of counterattack, a process that during the first half made Germany continue to hassle. The process throughout the game became Mexico's mainstay to pose a threat to his opponent - who is superior in the possession of the ball.
In the second half, Germany clean up. They as much as possible make Mexico difficult to launch a counterattack. The more attacking players like Marco Reus and Mario Gomez were included by Jogi Loew. With that, Die Mannschaft did get a lot of chances, but no one can break the goalkeeper Ochoa.
Mexico was not without opportunities. Several times they were able to threaten and still through a counter-attack scheme. However, there like Germany, in the second half Mexico also did not succeed to thrill Neuer goal nets. And luckily, until the game ended, the score 1-0 for them to stay afloat..