October 12, 2012
TRI, TRI AGAIN
Mexico routs Guyana, 5-0

Andres Guardado scored in the 77th minute, and within nine minutes Mexico had roared to a 5-0 lead over Guyana. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

HOUSTON—Four different players scored within a nine-minute span, and an own goal rounded things out, as Mexico romped past Guyana 5-0 in a World Cup Qualifying match Friday in front of a heavily pro-Mexico crowd of 12,115 at BBVA Compass Stadium.

Guyana, winless in Group B and the nominal home team on Friday night, held the undefeated Mexicans scoreless until the 77th minute, but then the floodgates opened. Andres Guardado opened the scoring in the 77th minute, Oribe Peralta doubled El Tri’s lead two minutes later, and Charles Pollard’s own goal left Mexico up 3-0 in the 81st.

Javier Hernandez (84) and Angel Reyna (86) rounded out the rapid-fire scoring.

Mexico are a perfect 5-0-0 in Group play, with a +11 goal differential.

Guardado’s game-winning goal was far from Mexico’s first chance of the match. Chicharito hit the Guyana crossbar in the third minute, and Javier Aquino cracked one off the left post in the 11th. But Guardado was the first to break through, with a long left-footed shot. Hernandez set the stage for the second goal, drawing netminder Derrick Carter out of position, then dishing off to Peralta for an empty-net finish.

Defender Charles Pollard tapped the ball into his own net, and Chicharito finally broke through with a driven header, before 73rd-minute substitute Reyna hammered home the capper from well outside the penalty area.

Mexico netminder Jonathan Orozco was not severely tested, but did come through with aclutch reflex save on Gregory Richardson in the 33rd.