The ghost of four years ago is no more.
Mexico's U-23 men's soccer team qualified Saturday night for the Olympics after defeating Canada 3-1 in Kansas City.
"El Tri," as the Mexican team is called, will be returning to the Summer Games after an eight-year absence.
The key to Saturday's triumph was the tandem of Alan Pulido and Marco Fabián. They combined to score two of Mexico's three goals.
The Mexican team was on the attack from the first minute of the match to the last. At minute 19, the boisterous Mexican crowd at Livestrong Stadium had something to cheer about.
Pulido passed to Fabián, whose speed beat a Canadian defender. When goalkeeper Michal Miesewicz left the box, Fabián tapped the ball with his right leg sending it into the net, putting Mexico ahead.
The Mexicans dominated the Canadians practically the entire game but Canada was not shut out.
At minute 31, Marcus Haber sent a header through the legs of Mexico's goalkeeper, Liborio Sánchez, tying the match.
The Canadians would not celebrate long. About a minute later, Fabián passed to Pulido, who fired a shot that found the net, putting the Mexicans ahead once more.
In the second half, Miguel Ponce, who grew up in San Ysidro, sealed the ticket to the Olympics.
At minute 59, he fired a shot to the right of the goalkeeper, who managed to touch it but could not keep it out of the net, for the third and final goal of the night.
The story was very different four years ago, when Mexico failed to qualify for the Olympics, a loss that became a national embarrassment.
This time around, the other CONCACAF team that qualified is Honduras, which beat El Salvador earlier Saturday in the same field.
Mexico and Honduras will meet in the tournament final on Monday. Since both teams have qualified for the Olympics, the outcome does not have great significance.
Mexico is reaching the final with a perfect record in the tournament: 14 goals scored, two allowed in four games.
alexandra.mendoza@sandiegored.com
