Chivas USA striker Erick 'Cubo' Torres scored his first senior international goal in the dying minutes as Mexico defeated Panama 1-0 in a friendly. In a game that featured five yellow cards and seven shots on target, Mexico grabbed a second friendly win in four days, though El Tri failed to convince on Sunday evening. After a convincing 2-0 win over Honduras on Thursday night, the hosts failed to produce another dominating performance at the Estadio Corregidora in Queretaro, but got the result just as it appeared the game would end scoreless. The game got off to a high-flying start, with both sides engineering good chances in the first 10 minutes. After a spell of sustained pressure by the visitors, El Tri started to take command of the game as the first half went on. Javier Hernandez was heavily involved, but he spurned a good chance after a mistake by Panama goalkeeper Oscar McFarlane. The on-loan Real Madrid man took a shot from 25 yards out, but it was cleared away by a defender. Though Marco Fabian and Hector Herrera both caused problems on the flank at various points in the first half for El Tri, the game entered the half scoreless. Mexico continued to threaten after the break, and it was the centre-back Luis Venegas who had a decent chance on the half-volley that McFarlane had to save early in the half. The game's rough play continued with 30 minutes to go when Blas Perez got an elbow up on a Mexico player, earning a yellow card. Substitutes Arturo Gonzalez and Oribe Peralta combined in the 68th minute, but the latter was unable to nod the former’s cross from the left on goal.
With the clock about to hit 90 minutes, McFarlane helped gift Mexico the win. The goalkeeper failed to deal with a long shot and after Peralta challenged the goalkeeper in the air for the rebound, the ball fell kindly to Torres, who slammed home the winner from six yards out.
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