In a shocking twist at the Estadio Francisco Morazán, Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre found himself on the wrong end of a thrown bottle when he approached Reinaldo Rueda, the Honduran coach, to a handshake after the match. This incident left Aguirre with a bleeding head wound, but with his usual character, the latter took it with detachment. “It’s nothing, really; it’s just Football,” he said, downplaying the unfortunate event.
Despite the incident, Aguirre was quick to praise the Honduran team, conceding: “They deserved to win; they were superior in many aspects today. All I can do is congratulate them and focus about assembling my own group.” With a wry smile, he added: “There’s no reason to dwell on these things; I’m not one to complain.”
In opening his post-match press conference, Aguirre opted for a tone of solidarity rather than criticism, extending his thoughts to the people of Honduras as they deal with the aftermath of Tropical Storm Sara. He also expressed sympathy for areas of Spain that have recently experienced severe weather disruptions.
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Honduras coach Rueda, visibly affected by the incident, apologized to Aguirre, emphasizing the unacceptability of such behavior in sport. “It makes me sad because at the end of the day he is a human being,” Rueda said gravely. “This kind of thing just shouldn’t happen.”
Having taken over the reins of El Tri for the third time in July, Aguirre suffered his first loss of the season with this loss—his previous record showing an undefeated 2W-2D-0L.
After the 2-0 defeat against Honduras, Mexico now find themselves in a difficult position ahead of the second leg next Tuesday, where they need to score at least twice to keep their hopes alive, thanks to the goals-at-a-time rule. outside.
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Both La H goals were scored by substitute Luis Palma, propelling his team to a crucial early advantage in the quarterfinal series.
The winner of this knockout stage will progress to the semi-finals of the Nations League next spring and earn a place in the 2025 Concacaf Gold Cup, while the losing team will still have a chance to qualify for the Gold Cup through a preliminary competition.
