Mexico vs Peru: 1-1 Draw as Victor Guzman Cancels Out Jairo Velez
Mexico and Peru drew 1-1 in an international friendly at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey, on September 29, 2026.
The match was Rafael Márquez's second game as Mexico's head coach, following another 1-1 draw against Colombia in his first match in charge.
Peru took the lead through Jairo Vélez in the first half, but Mexico responded shortly after halftime when Víctor Guzmán headed in the equaliser.
Jairo Vélez puts Peru ahead
Peru started the game with greater efficiency in attack and took the lead in the 26th minute.
Jairo Vélez capitalised on a defensive mistake and finished past Mexico goalkeeper Óscar García to make it 1-0. Vélez's goal gave Peru the advantage going into halftime.
Mexico had made several changes to its starting lineup compared with the previous friendly against Colombia, giving Márquez an opportunity to assess different players during the international window.
Víctor Guzmán levels the match
Mexico found its response early in the second half.
In the 49th minute, Víctor Guzmán headed home a cross from Denzell García, bringing Mexico back to 1-1.
The equaliser changed the momentum of the match, with Mexico improving after the break and looking for a second goal.
However, neither side could find another breakthrough before the final whistle.
Rafael Márquez remains without a win
The draw means Márquez has now overseen two consecutive 1-1 draws since taking charge of Mexico.
His first match came against Colombia on September 26, when Mexico also recovered from a goal down to draw 1-1.
The Peru match therefore continued the early stage of Márquez's work with the national team as he evaluates players and different tactical combinations ahead of Mexico's upcoming fixtures.
Mexico make several lineup changes
Márquez rotated his team for the Peru friendly, with players including Óscar García, Mateo Chávez, Everardo López, Víctor Guzmán, Denzell García, Obed Vargas, Álvaro Fidalgo, Orbelín Pineda, Germán Berterame and Isaías Violante starting the match.
Several familiar names, including Gilberto Mora, Santiago Giménez, Hirving Lozano and Roberto Alvarado, began on the bench before some were introduced during the second half.
The changes allowed Márquez to evaluate more members of his squad during the international window.
What comes next for Mexico
Mexico's next scheduled friendly is against the United States on October 3 at State Farm Stadium in Arizona, followed by a meeting with Chile on October 6 in Los Angeles.
The 1-1 draw with Peru leaves Márquez still searching for his first victory as Mexico's senior head coach, while the upcoming fixtures will provide further opportunities to test his squad.
Mexico vs Peru result
Mexico 1-1 Peru
26' — Jairo Vélez: Peru 1-0
49' — Víctor Guzmán: Mexico 1-1
The draw kept the match level after Mexico recovered from Peru's first-half advantage, with neither team able to score a winning goal.
