The famous venue lived up to the pre-match hype today as the All Whites struggled to overcome the enormous task of halting Mexico, the 24th-ranked side in the World, on the Road to Rio.
Faced with 100,000 Mexican supporters the Kiwis, ranked just 79th, were outclassed and outplayed 5-1 by a cohesive Mexican side to end the first leg of the Intercontinental Play-off with a huge mountain to climb in Wellington next week.
Mexico coach Miguel Herrera made the decision to leave out all of Mexico’s foreign-based players in what was a risky move – but it paid off the new coach.
El Tri started strong from the opening and were kept in the match for the first 30 minutes thanks in most part to their goalkeeper Glen Moss who made some stunning saves.
New Zealand seemed to invite the Mexicans to attack from the outset setting up a deep defence. While the Mexicans had plenty of time and space on the ball, Ivan Vicelich, Andrew Durante and Tommy Smith seemed to be coping well – with Moss cleaning up behind.
The tides changed just after the half-hour mark when Moss failed to punch clear allowing the ball to ping around the New Zealand penalty area before Paul Aguilar belted it into the back of the net from close range.
The second goal came ten minutes later when Mexico lofted in a corner and with time and space Raul Jimenez nodded home, again from close range, putting the Kiwis 2-0 down at the break.
The second-half couldn’t have started worse for the visitors as Oribe Peralta scored just seconds after the restart to make it 3-0.
New Zealand coach Ricki Herbert brought Chris James on in place of Jeremy Christie and it was from here that the side started to look a little more settled in the game. But at 3-0 up, Mexico may have also been relaxing as the pressure slowly lifted.
The Kiwis finally got a decent shot off courtesy of Chris Wood who sent a shot just high of the crossbar before missing a Kosta Barbarouses through ball.
Marco Rojas and Rory Fallon soon joined the fray and while Rojas looked good on the ball, at times his lack of game time recently showed.
Peralta made it 4-0 with a pin-point header from 12 yards out with ten minutes remaining on the clock. Mexico captain Rafa Marquez made it 5-0 three minutes later before James reacted well in the Mexican penalty are to poke in a consolation goal for the All Whites and make it 5-1.
El Tri now travel to Wellington for the second leg against New Zealand at Westpac Stadium on 20 November sitting in a comfortable position with Ricki Herbert’s team needing to win 4-0 to take the tie on the away goals rule.
A win or draw for Mexico, even a 3-0 defeat, would guarantee qualification for Brazil 2014.

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