Mexico 0, Bosnia-Herzegovina 1: More questions than answers for Herrera's side after loss

Miguel Herrera isn't happy. While he might blame his anger on Bosnia-Herzegovina's lineup switcheroo, or perhaps the incompetence of the officials in enforcing rules ahead of Tuesday's friendly, the real reason the Mexican manager is so furious is because his team was severely outplayed in their 1-0 loss to a Bosnian side that ran them ragged.

They had their chances, but Mexico was never actually in the game as much as they were two to three seconds behind — an eternity in international soccer — and in a constant state of trying  to catch up.  Bosnia set the pace for the match, and it was frenetic. 

A goal before halftime by the Dragons might have been the difference on the score sheet, but what won the game for Bosnia-Herzegovina was their willingness to out-work a beleaguered and frustrated Mexican side. Not helping matters for El Tri was the inability of their defensive unit — sometimes five, sometimes four members at the back — to keep up with the Bosnian attack in their own half.

The Goal

GOAL! Izet Hajrovic, 43 min. It happened fast. It was over quick. Sejad Salihovic won the ball in the box after it bounced around in front of the Mexican goal. He sent a perfect cross into Hajrovic from near the touchline, and he didn't delay in sending into the back of the net with one deft touch.

Man Of The Match

He may not have been directly involved with the winning goal, but Mexico had no answer for target man Edin Dzeko. Strong enough to single-handedly hold possession on the attack until more options became available. Fast enough to constantly confound the always guessing Mexican defense. Dzeko was brilliant on Tuesday, exhibiting the power and speed that makes him one of the elite strikers in the game today.

It would be shortsighted to not also praise the goalkeeping work of Asmir Begović, who likely earned his team the victory with two impressive saves late in the second half.

The Controversy

When Bosnia-Herzegovina manager Safet Susic originally announced his starting XI for Tuesday night's match, it featured a goalkeeper, six defenders and four midfield players. Then, minutes before the start, he made four changes, including the addition of Edin Dzeko. 

At the half, Herrera was livid with the late changes, saying it was a sign of disrespect. One report had him so enraged that he tore the lineup cards out of the hands of officials.

There's not a lot to be said for the referees taking care of this friendly. There seemed to be a terrible lack of communication for substitutions, as both teams struggled to get permission for alterations, leading Bosnia to play with only ten men at one point.

What Did Bosnia-Herzegovina Do To Win?

They ran. And ran. And ran some more. The high octane style of play from the Dragons gave Mexico all sorts of trouble. It reminded me of a saying that pugilists often use to describe the impact a first punch can have on strategy: A fighter's game plan goes out the window the moment he gets hurt for the first time with a punch.

That was Mexico on Tuesday. They got punched by the all-out press of Bosnia-Herzegovina in the opening minutes, and then staggered into the fight that their opponents wanted. 

Mexico began trying to force the ball through the middle of the pitch where they consistently lost possession, then they attempted to link the defensive unit with the forwards through long balls. Neither counter measure worked, as the Dragons continued to out hustle El Tri, who looked completely out of sync.

Tired legs made for tired minds, and the result was an attack that kept getting stalled and a defense that couldn't keep up.

The Takeaway

Mexico entered Tuesday night's match hoping for some answers, and they ended up with more questions. They went from a 5-3-2 to a 4-4-2 with two holding midfields to a 4-4-2 with a diamond midfield to, finally, a 4-3-3, and none of the formations looked especially effective. 

Chicharito played well, but looked rusty, and hit the post on the one clear chance that he did get in front of goal. And so, there remain question marks up front, in the middle, at the back, and even in net.

Whether Mexico will have an idea of how they'll want to play in Brazil by the time they play their final friendly against Portugal is anyone's guess, but there are two positive ways to spin the loss to Bosnia: 1) It's better to lose like this now, than say, in 10 days; and 2) Some might claim you learn more from a loss than you do a win.

The Nutshell

Stray Observations

With their all-out style of play, Bosnia will win the hearts and minds of fans at the World Cup in Brazil. They're fun to watch, and they put forth about as much visible effort as you're likely to see in elite level football.

The problem facing Mexico is that when they use five defenders in their back line and three midfielders in front, they don't seem to have a proper link between the midfield and their forwards. Perhaps this is the role that Rafael Marquez will fill when he's healthy, but without him, they stood no chance.

Fullback Miguel Layun, playing on the right side on Tuesday, was likely once again the best player on the pitch. Through the first 45 minutes, it seemed as though he was the only Mexican player with enough pace to properly keep up with the Bosnian attack. However, he was really quiet in the second half, perhaps worn down by all the running on the flank the Dragons made him do.

The loss was Miguel Herrera's first in charge of Mexico.

Chicharito didn't make much of a case for himself to be included in the starting XI in Brazil, but then again, he didn't get much of an opportunity to make one. The one chance he did get — thanks to a lovely ball from Layun (who else?) — was shot off the post with a wide open net. His bad luck in front of goal is eerily reminiscent of Jozy Altidore's struggles with the United States.