The Mexican national team will face the United States on Tuesday in a friendly match in Guadalajara, aiming to break a string of poor results against their fiercest rival.

Although the U.S. squad, led by coach Mauricio Pochettino, will be missing several key players, they still pose a tough challenge for Mexico. Mexico recently struggled to defeat Valencia's reserves, drawing 2-2 after squandering a two-goal lead.

For Mexico's coach, Javier Aguirre, the U.S. represents a nightmare that dates back to the 2002 World Cup when the Americans eliminated Mexico in the round of 16. This missed opportunity haunted Aguirre, as it was a chance to lead his team into the quarterfinals.

Since then, the rivalry between the two teams has only intensified, with the U.S. gaining the upper hand in recent years, winning the 2021 Gold Cup final, the 2023 Concacaf Nations League semifinal, and the 2020 and 2024 finals.

After the U.S. defeated Panama 2-0 on Saturday, Pochettino will have to manage without five key players: Christian Pulisic (Milan), Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven), Weston McKennie (Juventus), Marlon Fossey (Standard Liège), and Zack Steffen (Colorado Rapids).

For Aguirre, this match means more than just a friendly. His team’s lackluster performance against a Valencia squad missing several starters has added pressure, and Mexico needs to prove that the "Tri" can perform well under his leadership, especially against a rival like the U.S., where results always matter, even in warm-up games.

Since their elimination in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup, ending a streak of seven consecutive tournaments reaching the round of 16, Mexico has been in a results crisis.

In his three matches as head coach, Aguirre has two draws, against Canada and Valencia, and one win, against a weak New Zealand side. He now needs to build momentum to restore credibility after two previous stints with the national team that ended in disappointment at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups.