Mission accomplished. Following Mexico’s 1-0 win over Panama on Friday, El Tri clinched a place in Russia 2018. Now, Mexico travel to San Jose, Costa Rica to take on los Ticos.
From a Mexican perspective, things have changed quite a bit since Friday’s win. There is almost a sense of calamity, something that has been alien to Mexico in their most recent World Cup qualifying campaigns. While pressure remains on coach Juan Carlos Osorio, there is no denying that “walking” into the World Cup, as Mexican media has put it, is an accomplishment worth recognizing.