TOKYO, Japan – Mexico earned their second-ever Olympic Medal by topping Japan 3-1 in the Bronze Medal Match of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics on Friday night at Saitama Stadium 2002 in Saitama, Japan.
Nine years after winning the Gold Medal at London 2012, Mexico now have a Bronze Medal to add to their collection.
Mexico came out with an aggressive mindset form the opening whistle and a foul on Alexis Vega in the Japan area resulted in a penalty. Sebastian Cordova assumed spot kick duties and calmly stroked home to hand Mexico a 1-0 lead in the 13’.
Cordova next got to play the role of playmaker by curling a perfectly executed free kick deep into the Japan area that met the surging forehead of Johan Vasquez, who headed into goal to double the lead to 2-0 in the 22’.
Japan unsurprisingly took things up a notch to begin the second half down two goals, but Mexico matched their intensity and soon took a 3-0 lead in the 58’ with Cordova’s corner kick served up so that Alexis Vega could steer a header into net.
Japan would pull a goal back in the 78’ through Kaoru Mitoma to make it 3-1, but Mexico would have no problem seeing things out the rest of the way to nail down the victory and the Bronze.
