DOHA: Mexico fans and players would have only wanted one man standing between their goal and Robert Lewandowski’s impending penalty — and cult hero Guillermo Ochoa duly did the business.
The 37-year-old goalkeeper, called up for his fifth World Cup, turned the Polish striker’s effort away to earn Mexico a point in their goalless World Cup clash on Tuesday.
The curly haired Ochoa appeared to say something to Lewandowski in the run-up to the spot-kick and it might have distracted the usually deadly striker, whose effort was tame.
“’Memo’ (his nickname) is a goalkeeper with a lot of history, five World Cups — you can say that easily — but behind it is a lot of sacrifice, a lot of work and that is reflected in a moment in a crucial game,” said Mexico forward Alexis Vega.
Club America stopper Ochoa made brilliant saves against hosts Brazil in the 2014 tournament to make his name on the international stage. He described the 0-0 draw as the “match of my life.”
Ochoa also kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Germany at the 2018 World Cup, putting in another outstanding performance with a string of saves.
Although the Poland match won’t be remembered for long, it was another impressive contribution from Ochoa at the World Cup.
The Guadalajara-born goalkeeper has played in France with Ajaccio and Spain for Malaga and Granada, but he is largely known for his heroics in this competition.
“He was the hero, if he had not saved the penalty we’d have gone one down. ‘Memo’ always appears when you need him to,” said defender Jorge Sanchez.
“The save was a real boost in that moment, we know what a great stopper he is, what a great leader he is,” added midfielder Charly Rodriguez.
Mexico next play Argentina, who were stunned 2-1 by Saudi Arabia earlier Tuesday.
Thanking Memo: Cult World Cup hero Ochoa saves day again for Mexico
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Thanking Memo: Cult World Cup hero Ochoa saves day again for Mexico
- The curly haired Ochoa appeared to say something to Lewandowski in the run-up to the spot-kick
- Ochoa also kept a clean sheet in a 1-0 win over Germany at the 2018 World Cup
Desert Vipers chief urges side to focus on playoff, not ILT20 trophy
- The Vipers, the most successful team this season with eight wins from 10 matches, take on the Emirates knowing the winner will secure a direct place in the final
DUBAI: The Desert Vipers’ director of cricket, Tom Moody, has urged his side to focus on the immediate challenge of Qualifier 1 against MI Emirates on Tuesday rather than lifting the DP World ILT20 trophy.
Speaking on the Vipers Voices podcast on Monday, Moody said: “You do not look at the prize, as simple as that. Yes, we all want to be successful. Yes, we all want to win trophies, but if you get too obsessed with that mission, you end up falling short.”
The Vipers, the most successful team this season with eight wins from 10 matches, take on the Emirates knowing the winner will secure a direct place in the final.
Moody, a former World Cup winner with Australia, stressed the importance of approaching the game positively and executing a perfect performance with bat, ball and in the field.
“If we just take that positive outlook and draw on the experience we have had, concentrate on just trying to put together our perfect game, we should be in good hands,” he said.
Moody acknowledged the strength of MI Emirates, led by Kieron Pollard, and highlighted the challenge of playing at Abu Dhabi, where the opposition is familiar with the conditions.
“They play most of their games there, so that is an advantage for them. But at the end of the day, you are not really playing the opposition; you are playing the ball,” he added.
Reflecting on the Vipers’ season, Moody said five of their eight league wins came in the final over, giving the team experience under pressure.
“It gives important lessons for the team and builds trust within the playing group,” he said.
He also addressed the impact of the cooler conditions in the UAE and dew on the finals series, saying the team must adapt regardless of the toss.
“From my perspective, the mindset we need to share is that it does not matter. We just need to adapt,” he said.
