It was dubbed the tacos vs sushi contest.
But no one was thinking about food on Saturday night.
International soccer hadn’t been on the menu at the Oakland Coliseum for 14 years. And the fans in attendance for the friendly between Mexico and Japan were hungry for football.
On a balmy, and occasionally barmy, evening both teams served up moments of quality in a scoreless contest that contained no shortage of action.
In the week when tickets for the 2026 World Cup go on presale, there was plenty to whet the appetite before FIFA’s festival of soccer kicks off in nine months.
Mexico were roared on by the majority of a raucous 45,278 crowd, 1,611 less than attended the Oakland Athletics’ last game at the Coliseum in 2024, but it was Japan who started the game brightest.
Setting up in a fluid 3-4-2-1 formation and pressing high, Japan twice went close inside the first four minutes. The irrepressible Takefusa Kubo was at the heart of Japan’s early pressure, flashing a shot wide before almost creating another chance with a clever pass.
Five minutes later Kubo forced the first save of the game with a powerful right foot shot from 22 yards that Mexico keeper Angel Malagon parried well. A long ball over the Mexico defense then saw Kubo loop the ball beyond Malagon before it was cleared on the line.
Fifteen minutes in, as the first ‘la olas’ waved through the Mexico fans a clear pattern was emerging. Japan, calm and decisive with the ball while aggressive and tenacious without it, were threatening to overwhelm their opponents. At this point only one team looked like winning.
Japan and Mexico have been two of the biggest flirts in recent World Cups, threatening to penetrate the latter stages of the competition before exiting prematurely.
Mexico made the quarter finals as tournament hosts in 1970 and 1986. Yet neither nation has progressed beyond the second round since Japan qualified for their first World Cup in 1998.
At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, as Mexico exited in the group stages, Japan showed that it is more than capable of matching the strongest nations. A frenetic brand of shock and awe counter attacking earned 2-1 wins against Spain and Germany.
The victories against the European powers meant Japan topped the so-called group of death (despite losing to Costa Rica). But a limp performance against a disciplined Croatia team saw Japan exit the second round on penalties.
Where Spain and Germany had been overwhelmed by Japan’s speed on the counter, Croatia retreated. By sitting off and letting Japan have the ball they successfully neutered the threat that had so beguiled the Spanish and German defenses.
As the first half at the Coliseum progressed it appeared Mexico may have borrowed a page from the Croatian playbook.
After weathering an intense opening 20 minutes, Mexico grew in confidence and began moving the ball with greater conviction. Striker Raul Jimenez was busy at the top of a rigid 4-3-3 formation that appeared to get stronger after half an hour when captain Edson Alvarez was replaced by Erik Lira at the base of midfield. But, a couple of breaks aside, Mexico threatened little.
Japan were struggling to turn their initial dominance into genuine chances. A situation Mexico coach, Javier Aguirre, will have found familiar.
Aguirre enjoyed an ill-fated, nine-month, 10-game spell in charge of Japan a decade ago. He departed in February 2015 amid match fixing allegations relating to his time at Real Zaragoza in Spain. A failure to convert possession into goals was a consistent feature of his time as Japan coach. It is a condition they are still battling.
Kubo was the clear star of the first 45-minutes. And his incisive passes and lightning dribbles were a reminder of the last time he had played in the Bay Area.
Back in 2023, his Real Sociedad side were one of four Spanish teams that appeared in a La Liga tour at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park.
As the second half resumed Kubo produced the game’s outstanding moment. After yet another Japan press he broke clear on the edge of the Mexico box. Shaping to shoot on his right foot he instead slid a ridiculous, no-look, reverse pass that eluded Takumi Minamino but found the onrushing Kaoru Mitoma and the Brighton forward, who was operating at left wing back here, forced an instinctive save from Malagon.
In the 52nd minute, Kubo successfully found Minamino with a delicate chip to the back post from the right byline that the Monaco forward blasted just over. It was a difficult chance to convert; a first-time, waist-high volley, but was still Japan’s clearest sight of goal.
In the seven previous meetings between these two nations Mexico triumphed six times with Japan’s sole victory coming in 1996. After a flurry of substitutions the game opened up and as Japan’s pace relented, chances for Mexico to snatch another victory emerged.
On 67 minutes, Lira won a free kick on the Mexico right. He then connected with Chucky Lozano’s delivery, forcing Zion Suzuki into the best save of the game, a flying stop to deny Mexico what would have been a somewhat undeserved lead. The Parma keeper performed competently throughout and, despite a few wayward kicks, looks a composed presence in what has been a problem position for Japan.
With three minutes of regular time left, a mistake on the edge of the Japan area by Celtic forward Daizen Maeda gifted German Berterame a clear shot at goal but he could only drag his effort wide to howls from the stands. Mexico had absorbed sustained pressure but this would have been a real sucker punch to concede for Japan.
Then in the first minute of injury time, Japan threatened to grab victory. Striker Ayase Ueda broke but before he had entered the box a clear foul by Cesar Montes brought him down. Clear, perhaps to everyone bar the match officials. Referee Rubiel Vazquez initially awarded a yellow card that was only upgraded to a red following a VAR review.
It ended goalless with the Coliseum crowd leaving satiated following a compelling contest.
Japan looked superior for long spells but were unable to score. Mexico defended ruggedly but enjoyed the game’s best chances.
After the game Aguirre was complimentary of his former employers. “I saw improvement in Japanese football from what I saw 10 years ago,” the Mexico coach said.
“They have more players based in Europe than they did when I was, around 10 years ago, the coach. I’m very impressed with the coach, a lot of intensity, a higher intensity they’re playing at a higher level. I congratulate them for their attitude and their energy throughout the 90 minutes,” he said.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu was equally gracious when describing his opponent.
“There was no big surprises in the Mexico team today. As I thought, the head coach, Aguirre, prepared his team well. His team is very well disciplined and it was very hard to break down,” Moriyasu said.
Both teams emerged with credit from a pulsating friendly.
Japan’s explosive start suggested they might overwhelm Mexico. And in Kubo they had the game’s clear star. But Mexico’s stamina and stability in the face of a consistent threat will have provided some optimism for Aguirre. They could easily have scored in the second half.
The ferocity of the Japanese press and fluctuating shape will cause plenty of trouble at next year’s World Cup. The progress from Aguirre’s time in charge is clear to see. Japan could be a problem next summer.
As joint hosts, with Canada and the US, who Japan play in another friendly in Ohio on Tuesday, Mexico will enjoy fanatical support and fervent expectation.
Will either side progress beyond the second round? With this being the first World Cup to feature 48 teams and an extra knockout round, quite possibly. At this stage though the smart money would be on Japan going further than Mexico at FIFA 2026. And if sushi and tacos are on the same menu again, this game would suggest that soccer fans will be in for a feast.
