(Manchester United News)
Manchester United wide man Antonio Valencia’s Ecuador lost 1-0 to Mexico in a friendly in Los Angeles on Saturday night, with Javier ‘Chicharito’ Hernandez scoring the early winner.
In his first international appearance since last summer’s World Cup, Valencia played the full 90 minutes on the right wing but couldn’t inspire his side to victory.
Chicharito’s 14th-minute strike was a spectacular one as he won the ball outside the box and beat two defenders before giving goalkeeper Alexander Dominguez no chance with a curling shot that went in off the post.
It took the Reds striker, who is on loan at Real Madrid this season, to joint-second on Mexico’s all-time scorers list alongside Cuauhtemoc Blanco, with 39 goals, and he’s only seven behind record-holder Jared Borgetti.
Mexico were indebted to keeper Jesus Corona, who denied Ecuador forward Miller Bolanos three times, including from the penalty spot in the 71st minute. Hernandez almost added a second goal 10 minutes later but his header hit the crossbar.
Antonio and Ecuador are next in action on Wednesday against Argentina, when he could come up against Reds team-mates Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo.
United winger Di Maria started on the right in Argentina’s 2-0 friendly win over El Salvador in Maryland and teed up the first goal in the 54th minute, as Ever Banega’s long-range shot deflected in off El Salvador midfielder Nestor Renderos.
Di Maria came off in the 73rd minute and his replacement, Federico Mancuello, netted the match-clinching second goal with two minutes left. Rojo was an unused substitute.
