KOLKATA, India – Roberto de la Rosa’s goal early in the second half gave CONCACAF champion Mexico a 1-1 draw with Iraq in the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup opener for each on Sunday at Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
The result left the sides in a tie for second place in Group F, two points behind England, which earned a 4-0 win over Chile.
Mexico enjoyed large advantages in possession (63%-37%), corner kicks (10-1) and shots attempted (15-4), but Iraq took a 1-0 lead.
In the 16th minute Mohammed Dawood sprinted past the middle of the defense to latch onto a pass from Mohammed Ridha, elude goalkeeper Cesar Lopez and slot into an empty with his left foot from 11-yards out.
De la Rosa hit the crossbar later in the first half, but didn’t miss in the 51st minute, when an Iraqi defender missed on an attempt to clear Daniel Lopez’s pass from the right side of the box. The ball came to an unmarked de la Rosa, who fired into the net from 13 yards with his right foot.
Iraq goalkeeper Al Ibadi made a tremendous diving save on Diego Lainez’s effort from outside the box in the 74th minute to preserve the draw.
Next Up: Mexico will face England on Wednesday at the same venue.
2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup
October 8, 2017: Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan -- Kolkata, India (Att: 55,800)
Iraq-Mexico 1-1 (1-0)
Mohammed Dawood 61’ / Roberto de la Rosa 51’
Iraq: Ali Ibadi; Habbeb Mohammed (Ali Raad 66’), Muntadher Abdulsada, Muntadher Mohammed (Ala Adnaan 90’), Mohammed Dawood, Mohammed Ridha (Maytham Jabbar 63’), Bassam Shakir, Abdulabbas Ayad, Mohammed Albaqer, Mohammed Ali, Moamel Kareem. Head Coach: Qahtan Al-Rubaye
Mexico: Cesar Lopez; Adrian Vazquez, Carlos Robles, Raul Sandoval, Jairo Torres, Alexis Gutierrez, Daniel Lopez (Deivoon Magaña 76’), Roberto de la Rosa (César Huerta 82’), Alan Maeda, Luis Gamiz, Diego Lainez. Head Coach: Mario Arteaga
R: Ovidiu Hategan (Romania); AR1: Octavian Sovre (Romania); AR2: Sebastian Gheorghe (Romania); 4th: Clement Turpin (France)
